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Written by the wise 85 yr old Robert VanHoose @ http://www.homilygrits.com

Read Philippians 1,
Psalm 115
August 10

                                        “Hopes of Glory”

   “The merchants will say, ‘The pleasure you longed for has left you. All your riches and glory have disappeared forever.’” Revelation 18:14 (NIV)

    We all have hopes of “accomplishing something that secures praise or renown from someone.”  Whether it be athletics, vocational, recreational, financial, relational, or spiritual, we all like to have something to make us feel good about ourselves.

    As we pursue praise, power, status, and all of the attributes of worldly glory, we often make compromises that cause more shame than gain, and ruin than riches.

    The hallowed ground of Christ’s church too often becomes the devil’s play ground for glory seekers.  When pastors and people alike become too full of themselves and their glory, they leave little room for the fruit of the Holy Spirit to be produced.

    God too often gets misquoted as saying that He told someone that we need a new building, parking lot, or church bus.

    From the pulpit to the choir loft to the elder’s deliberations, God’s glory gets stiff armed when personal egos and self glory get in the way of glorifying God.

    As true believers, we have all the self glory we should ever seek.
When  “Christ in you” is our hope of glory, and we become dead to sin and alive in Christ, seeking God’s glory and His righteousness will be the number one priority of our lives.

   Father, keep me ever mindful of whose glory I should seek. In Jesus name, Amen