Developing a high view of God
Psalms 96:4-6
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. NAS
As we have seen God is supremely valuable. He is most worthy of Praise! In other words, He is the highest and most valuable being in existence! This only naturally follows the understanding of Him as the Creator of all things. Since God is infinitely greater than everything He created, He is therefore infinitely more valuable and glorious than everything He created. This also gives tremendous value to mankind, seeing that we were the only thing or being created “in His image.” Since God is supremely valuable, it logically follows that if we esteem other things higher than Him, we are fools. We are then guilty of the highest form of treason, a failure to glorify the Glorious God, or in other words “idolatry.” This is because God is “most worthy” of praise.
Psalms 96:4-6 – 4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
Romans 1:21-25 – 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen.
We must therefore value God above every other thing. He is worthy of exaltation and praise. This is the reason we were created. It is to glorify and exalt the majesty and glory of the Living God! This is the highest activity that can be performed and the most fulfilling thing that can be done. It is the only thing that fills the natural void in the heart of man. It is the first and great commandment and the great goal of God in history. It is for Him to be worshipped according to the splendor of His majesty, which is higher than any other thing. He must therefore be supreme in our affections, and the thing to which we ascribe the highest value and worth. We are to worship God!
Psalms 96:7-9 – 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. 9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. NIV
God does everything He does for this end. That is for the sake of His Glory! Consider this quote from Pastor John Piper from his book “Let the Nations be Glad”;
“God is central and supreme in His own affections. There are no rivals for the supremacy of God’s glory in His own heart. God is not an idolater. He does not disobey the first and great commandment. With all His heart and soul and strength and mind He delights in the glory of His manifold perfections. The most passionate heart for God in all of the universe is God’s heart.”
The bible is plastered with such statements which describe the passion of God for His own Glory. Here Isaiah makes it crystal clear.
Isaiah 48:9-11 – 9 For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off. 10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.
The Lord says He will not yield His glory to another. Indeed mankind has been commanded by God to “give Him glory” and worship His holy name. Indeed there is coming a day when the whole earth will be filled the knowledge of God’s Glory!
Habakkuk 2:14 – 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. NIV
More than this, every man and woman will give an account to God for either their worship of His Glory or the failure thereof.
Philippians 2:9-11 – 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NIV
Consider for a moment the just punishment of God in shutting out from His presence all who do evil by not worshipping His glory(2 Thess 1:9). For those who will not worship His glory, they will be “thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death”(Rev 20:10). Does this not express most clearly the infinite value of God’s glory! If the “just punishment” for idolatry is eternal punishment(Matt 25:46) in hell, than this corresponds to the infinite worth of the glory of God! How foolish we are to not see the great value and worth of God! Oh blessed mercy!
The Bethlehem Baptist church makes this statement which follows:
The reality of hell is God’s clear indictment of the infiniteness of our guilt. If our corruption were not deserving of an eternal punishment, God would be unjust to threaten us with a punishment so severe as eternal torment. But the Scriptures teach that God is just in condemning unbelievers to eternal hell (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Matthew 5:29f; 10:28; 13:49f; 18:8f; 25:46; Revelation 14:9-11; 20:10). Therefore, to the extent that hell is a total sentence of condemnation, to that extent must we think of ourselves as totally blameworthy apart from the saving grace of God.
It is therefore imperative that we as Christians learn to esteem and value God and His glory above all things! We must give our minds to the contemplation of God, our strength to the service of God, entrust our souls to the care of God, and give our hearts to the love of God! He is to be chief among our affections and first in order of importance. To do anything less is foolishness and self-destruction! Shall we seek life and its fulfillment in every place except from the place it comes, God? Shall we look for love in all the wrong places when all the while the Scripture tells us that “God is Love!”
Indeed love and fulfillment can be found in God, and Oh how willing He is to grant it. But friends, He must become our passion, He must become the center of our lives, our marriages, our families and our churches! We must be God-centered! Listen friends, the universe revolves around God and His purposes, not ours.
1 Corinthians 10:31– 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. NIV
Six things we can do to develop a high view of God:
- Treasure and esteem God and His Word above any and every other thing in your life. Let it become a consuming passion in your life to come to know God and see His glory.
Psalms 119:47-48 -47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. NIV
- Have a daily time of meditation and contemplation in the Word of God, undistracted. Allow the Word to judge and confront the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. Seek God’s face and His truth as for hidden treasure.
Psalms 1:1-2 – Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. NIV
- Do what the bible says. The revelation of truth comes through obedience to God’s Word.
Luke 11:28 – 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
- As we ponder the Word we have two-way communication with God. We speak to him and He speaks to us. Pray intensely while reading your bible.
Philippians 4:5-7 – 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Fellowship regularly with people who have a high view of God and a passion for His Glory.
Acts 2:42 – 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. NIV
- Remember God’s Sovereignty! That He is in control of the circumstances of your life! Always remember to be thankful for everything you have and never take for granted that God has overlooked your sins and allowed you to live, and continues to pour out His blessing on you. You deserve much worse than you get! Do not grumble and complain about your circumstances because this attitude is equivalent to idolatry and blasphemes God’s Glory. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble!
1 Thess 5:16-18 – 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. NIV
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