Glory

Today I have a pile of boxes in the carport of Books I have collected over the years to sort as to what to keep and what to pass along. My new library shelving is perhaps a 1/3 of what I had at the Inn. I have a lot of translations of the Bible. Seems a lot of Biblical Scholars have spent much time trying to make the Word of God more easily understood. As I go through the translations I use John 8 to help me know if the scholar was accurate. In John 8:24 where it says “…for if you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” In most of the translations the he has been included but is not in the Greek. The passage should read, “…for if you believe not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins.” (Augmented by context: Unless you believe that I AM the one who gave the 10 Commandments to Moses, you shall die in your sins.) Three times in John 8 Jesus confirms this 3 different ways. See if you can find them.

For me this is very important as when I place Christ Jesus in that place of creative authority for eternity. It changes HIS commandments from being perhaps to being imperative or of being extremely important for my eternal salvation. In other words the Faith that is required for our salvation must also sanctify us and change us into being like Christ Jesus, 1 John 4:17. There is no room for emotional feel good theology based on old invalid traditions.

But that really was not what really got to my heart in the course of sorting and deciding what to keep. What really got to me in that chapter was the word Glory in verse 50-54 in that Jesus came not to seek HIS own Glory or to Honor himself. That He came to Glorify and Honor the Heavenly Father, through HIS love, humility, faith and obedience. That is was what motivated HIM, HIS love for the Heavenly Father and to hallow His name. “Hallowed be Thy name.”

So I did a little soul searching on what motivates me and began to see how I really do like the praises of men and from my family. And often, subtly manipulate to try to make it happen. So I took it to heart to begin to learn to totally seek to live my life as Jesus did to live only to make my Heavenly Father happy. And to trust to HIS judgment in the resurrection as to any Honor or Glory. Of course as our Heavenly Father is LOVE for those who love and obey Jesus it should make all happy, but, NOT ALWAYS. And I am well aware that living this kind of a life will attract persecution and usually from those who are closest. As you find the Heavenly Father’s will and walk it out in life, not many will understand. The roads of temporal values and eternal values are two totally different roads. So 100 years from now, what is going to be important? Our souls are created to be eternal. It is only a matter of placement. I truly hope you choose wisely.

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<>< www.Trinity-Aloha.org I ran across a statement by Smith Wigglesworth today as a second witness to this truth. “Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.: “It is impossible to overestimate the importance of being filled with the Spirit.” “Before God could bring me to this place He has broken me a thousand times.” “The secret of spiritual success is a hunger that persists... It is an awful condition to be satisfied with one’s spiritual attainments... God was and is looking for hungry, thursty people.” It is better to live ready than to get ready!” “God has privileged us in Chirst Jesus to live above the ordinary human plan of life. Those who want to be ordinary and live on a lower plane can do so, but as for me, I will not.’ Smith Wigglesworth.