October 13, 2003 Monday
Reckoning the Glory (2 Corinthians 12:1-10)

We know that his desire for personal glory led to his eternal demise, but are we aware that this very nature of satan can also become the beginning of our own personal demise? In these passages God uses Paul to show the Corinthians that this sinful nature had afflicted them more than they would ever want to admit, even to the extent that the more Paul loved them, the less they loved him. (see vs. 15) Could this same nature be degrading, or even preventing, your personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

Glory is essentially anything that would exalt someone or something, namely you or Jesus Christ, and cause others to boast of it. God is the master at filling our lives with opportunities to bring Him Glory, but how well have we mastered the art of truly giving Him all the glory!? From the most simple and common everyday tasks to the most breathtaking experiences we are to "do ALL to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) A conflict arises however when our sinful, fleshly nature shows us that we can distort these opportunities in an attempt to exalt our own name..."though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool" (vs. 6). Whenever you and I receive the glory for what God has done then we have utterly failed Him. I could preach the greatest sermon of all, sing the sweetest song ears have ever heard, sacrifice more abundantly than any, but if my name is exalted over Christ's as a result then I have failed miserably. He desires to receive glory through you, but will you prohibit His Glory from being reckoned unto yourself in order to see Him exalted?

God, by His almighty and infinite grace, is in the business of exalting Himself through those that have trusted exclusively in His son Jesus Christ....this means that we can now escape the devastation of living a life that would only lead to absolute bareness in the fires of hell. Don’t be surprised though when His reminders of this truth come to you in a piercing, painful fashion. "And lest I should be exalted above measure....there was given to me a thorn in the flesh". (vs. 7) God will often take what we perceive to be unrealistic extremes to make us usable for His Glory, have you been contending with Him over this? When we finally come to acknowledge the fact that His strength is made perfect through our weakness....and when we finally begin to cherish the weaknesses that He gives and allows...we will finally be able to say in faith, "therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (vs. 10) Are these the things in your life that you can now see God pouring out His Glory and power through....or are you still striving to reckon His Glory unto your own account? "God forbid that I should glory". (Galatians 6:14)