reverence – James G. Owen, Author

God’s Glory in Light

We all have seen light in different forms. As we look into the sunlight, we know its bright and our blinded eyes will feel the effect, yet that light can be filtered to soft light and by its angle in the early morning as it rises upon the horizon. God’s light I imagine is bright, so bright that man would not be able to stand in his presence because of our corruptibility, but one day we will see Jesus, and our spirits will be fixed so that we can see God in his fullness. In this devotional I have given different ways of God’s glory in Light. Read on and enjoy.

First, God’s glory and the description of his glory is vast and deep. In 1 John 1:5, we read this about God’s glory.

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

There is no darkness in him because darkness in death. In his light there is light, hope, strength, love, confidence, mercy, grace, and faith. All of these are given to man if we are in communion with the Father.

God’s glory came to three of the disciples, James, Peter, and John, who were with Jesus upon the Mount of Configuration when Jesus was being strengthened before his death on the Cross. God came to them in a bright cloud and a voice came from the cloud. In Matthew 17:5 we read this from scripture.

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

God’s glory came to the shepherds and encapsulated them. His glory was all around them, and they were able to see and sense his glory, the reason they were afraid. His glory came in the form of an angel. Sitting here in my chair I am thinking God’s glory was working through the angel in order to be seen. I am thinking of Moses who could not see God’s face and live in the moment, and this is the reason for my thought. In Luke 2:9 tells this:

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”

God’s glory was seen upon Mount Sinai, also known as Mount Horeb, and people could hear the voice of God. They looked up and could see his fire. Deuteronomy 5;24 gives evidence of this scene.

^“And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.”

Lastly for this devotional, God’s glory is seen through his Son Jesus. Jesus is the light sent to this earth to redeem man, and to provide salvation for man’s soul. Also, Jesus is the image of God. Some of the attributes of God seen in Jesus that I will give here to furtherance his image of God are light, holiness, anointing, and perfection. In 2 Corinthians 4:4

“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Jesus, the light of the world came to us, spent time with man, and he shared his word with his disciples so that his ministry and gospel would go on so that all men may hear, many to be drawn to his presence and experience his glory. Jesus was God coming to man giving hope to all that were downtrodden. When you think of God’s glory you will be thinking of Jesus.

Notes:

All scripture used is from the King James Version, Public Domain, Biblegateway

Troubles and Trials Shall Come, but there is Rest from the Storm

As I have spent my day listening to videos and taking care of needful things, my spirit hears the psalmist who wrote the 23rd Psalm. Who was this psalmist? He is a boy who defeated a giant, and grew to become king.

My thoughts on this psalm is how good God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has been good to me. I have had many troubles, trials, temptations, and the stress that life brings, but I am still here on Earth to testify that God gives peace and rest from all life’s storms.

God is my shepherd. One I can count on to come to me when I am in trouble, and always hears my cries. He is a father to me, and I am his child. He hears my distress in my voice, turns his ear, and says, “what is it my child?” I know I can trust God and tell him all my troubles because I have done so before, and he has always brought me through. God encompasses about me, protects me each day because I live in his covenant as a tithing, born again disciple. He is with me when I need and ask for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom so that I can mature and grow spiritually.

Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside ^[a]still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23: 1-3 ASV

God, my father and I have a special place we can go, a quiet place of my choosing, whether it be in the woods, my bedroom, or under my tallit. A place to listen to him after I have emptied my heart before him, and in this place I can find peace, and rest from the stress, the trouble that the devil has put me through, and also the distress I placed on myself.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of
he shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23: 4 ASV

He provides for me in every way, forgives, and restores me. He sets my feet again on the path of righteousness when I make a mistake, or sin, and I ask him to forgive me once again. There are times I find myself in darkness because of the sin when I stumble.

Trials come, and trials go, and I have learned to keep my eyes forward so that soon the trial will cease. These trials are learning periods of hard knocks which gives me the experience to teach others, and to steer them away from the path I sorrowfully took, so that these students will not go the path I once traveled.

He sets before me a table to dine, with fine linen cloth and tableware and treating me as royalty showing me grace, mercy, and love. My enemies observes his goodness and kindness by the actions of my living, and my light shines before men.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou hast anointed my head with oil;
My cup runneth over.
Psalm 23:5 ASV

Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah ^[d]for ever.
Psalm 23:6 ASV

His love is forever, and I have favor as long as I stay in his covenant, revere, and respect him by obedience in keeping his covenant. Jehovah is my Lord, my Savior, and his son is the Messiah. Forever will I trust, love, and praise his name for the peace of knowing I will reach heaven.

Notes:

All scripture given has been taken from the American Standard Version, Public Domain, Biblegateway.

Receiving the Wisdom of God

How do we receive wisdom from God? First, we must make repentance to God-the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob asking him to forgive us of our sins—to remove all the evil deeds we have done in our lives. In Hebrew, this would be teshuvah. We are to establish a relationship with him in righteousness, and to be able to receive anything we desire from him by asking. For sinful men, women, and children will not receive from God when we are living in sin.

After repentance and forgiveness is established in our hearts, we begin by listening to God as we pray, obeying his commandments, and what he tells us to do when he speaks to us. We must hide his word in our hearts, and we do this by serious study, memorization of scripture, and breaking down the passages to understand and find the meaning as it applies to our lives by meditating. If we do not understand what we are reading, then we can ask God to give us the meaning and learn by his Holy Spirit. For he will reveal it to us. So, stop and listen. If it doesn’t come soon, then think about it during the day.

Keep God and his word on your mind. As I read a scripture I may think about it during the day to see what God is going to say to me, or place a thought in my mind that I haven’t thought of before, and be prayerful throughout the day by unceasing prayer. Find moments during the day to pray privately, or voice a whisper as you go along. Apply his word in your heart and you will begin to understand.

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Proverbs 2:1-3 KJV

Ask God for wisdom and understanding. Maintain these gifts by daily scripture readings, daily prayer, and keeping the line of communication open. Listen for his voice, or any other means in which he will speak to you. It may come through an audible voice, a voice that seems like someone is there but not, or he may choose dreams that usually occur in the last portion of the morning, being 0300 am to 0600 am before sunrise.

As you gain wisdom and understanding, you will find that you understand the reverence of God. As you become closer to him in a relationship to him, you will discover you understand him more and his knowledge. For he speaks to us as a father would speak to his children in instruction, and we gain from his experiences, knowledge, and wisdom. As we walk with God in righteousness and holiness we will understand his law, righteousness, and his judgments. We will discover we have discernment and know what is sin and what is not. We will know the path to walk because of our conscience leading us telling us right from wrong.

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Proverbs 2: 4-7 KJV

So, how do we know when wisdom is present? Discretion will commence and subsist. It will subsist as long as we are walking in righteousness. This discretion will deliver us from evil, and that means listening to his Holy Spirit, the visions he gives us, and instructions from his messengers.

He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Proverbs 2:8-11 KJV

As we establish a relationship with God and we repent of our sins, we must not look backward any longer. For he forgave us, delivered us, and over time will bring us to maturity through hardships, troubles and trials, that will cause us to grow so that we may open new doors of spiritual opportunity for us with him. Through all of this is how we receive the wisdom of God.

Notes:

All scripture is taken from the King James Version Public Domain Biblegateway.