WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.080 Hello and welcome to the Redemption Church Podcast. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:12.560 We're a church in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada that exists to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the Spirit of the Great Commandment. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.320 Thanks for joining us today. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:22.640 It is uh great to be here and be with you and to celebrate the start of a new fall, a new ministry year, a new launch, all of that. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.359 And so uh what we're doing today, a little different. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:30.320 Usually I start a brand new series on a day like this, but we're gonna do that starting next week. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:32.479 I'll get to more of that a little bit later on. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:39.439 But today we are going to uh finish up our Attributes of God series that we've been working our way through uh throughout the entire summer. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.439 We're ending off with the idea of God's glory today and wrapping up the series with that. 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:49.759 And that is, of course, what we want to celebrate going forward, starting today and every day. 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:51.679 Hopefully, we've been doing it from the beginning as well. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.640 But it is really about God's glory no matter what, whenever we gather and all that we are to do in our lives. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:02.719 And so if you would grab your Bibles and turn them to Psalm 72 right now, that would be great. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:10.079 And as you're getting yourself turned there, uh perhaps you've experienced a moment like uh like one of these, okay? 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:19.040 It's that that breathtaking awe or wonder uh that you had as you drove through the Canadian Rockies for the first time. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:22.159 Perhaps some of us have had the opportunity to get out there, it's amazing. 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:35.120 Or maybe it's the reaction you feel uh as you walk through an art gallery and you're taking in the paintings and the sculptures and whatever it might have, it washes over you. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:37.120 That's a powerful uh moment. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:41.840 It could be how deeply moved you get when you hear a song. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:44.959 And it's just the the way the music is written, right? 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:48.480 The way the lyrics are, it just connects with you, it hits. 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:54.400 Or maybe it's just simply the pleasure of a cup of coffee on your back deck in the morning. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:02:05.519 Listen, whether we're aware of it or not, uh, these moments, they're they're all examples of what it means to catch a glimpse of God's glory. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:12.960 Now, if I asked you to define what God's glory is, you think you could do it? 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:14.159 I think you could define it. 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:18.479 If you had a second here to kind of think and hum and aw and try and put it into words, could you? 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:28.400 Okay, John Piper is a guy who comes to mind as someone who's preached and taught and and and written more about the glory of God than most. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:35.120 And yet even he claims that that nailing an exact definition uh is impossible. 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:46.719 And that's because God's glory really is about his beauty, okay, more than it is about describing some kind of physical object that you can see. 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:53.199 In fact, beauty is probably just the simplest way to try and understand what God's glory is. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:03:08.400 And with that in mind, uh Piper, he actually takes a stab at what he uh at a definition, as he calls it, and and he he tries to help us understand it here, and he links it to God's holiness, which I think is really helpful for us, because that's the very topic we looked at just last Sunday. 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:10.240 Okay, and so here's what he says. 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:15.919 He says, The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness. 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.400 It's the going public of his holiness. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:19.520 I love that line. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:24.879 It's the way he puts his holiness on display for people to apprehend. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:30.319 Okay, so the glory of God is the holiness of God made manifest. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:42.400 A verse that we looked at last Sunday, Isaiah 6.3, is where the seraphim cried out, you remember this, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:43.520 Yeah, it's his glory. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:48.080 Then see the connection there between his holiness and the earth being full of his glory. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:04:15.120 Meaning that because of God's infinite holiness, okay, which again is what we've covered, um, the whole earth radiates forth the incredible beauty of his nature, of his of his very essence, to such a powerful degree that it's that it's really difficult to fully describe it or or even comprehend it. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:18.079 That's why we get these these glimpses of it, and then it feels like it's fleeting. 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:21.199 It's hard for us to even wrap ourselves completely around it. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:26.079 And I think that's what it's getting at here when it says that the whole earth is full of his glory. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:29.600 It is, it is everywhere if we would learn to see it. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.040 Okay, elsewhere, uh Piper again, this is what he says. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:39.199 He says, the glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God's manifold perfections. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:51.600 The infinite beauty, and I'm focusing on the manifestation of his character and his worth and his attributes, all of his perfections and greatness are beautiful as they are seen, and there are many of them. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:05:14.000 Okay, so so when we say that God's glory is sensed and experienced as you, you know, take in a beautiful landscape that you come across, maybe it was on a canoe trip or something this summer, or some road trip that you did, or or whenever you even savor like an amazing juicy steak, something like that. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:22.240 It's not just to say that those things are, you know, that thing itself is wonderful or beautiful or glorious. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:23.519 It's more than that. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:27.920 It's that in those things God is showing you and I who he is. 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:29.759 He's showing us what he is like. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:31.759 Again, a glimpse of that. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:39.040 And that what makes those things beautiful or amazing or delicious or or what have you is him. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:39.920 Right? 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:40.319 It's him. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.160 It's his beauty, it's it's his glory. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:53.120 Okay, their beauty, and whatever thing we find beautiful and awesome and amazing, their you know, their glory finds their roots ultimately in the creator. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:53.759 Right? 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:55.920 He who created them. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:15.279 Okay, so similarly here, or similarly, when uh when a teenager suffers you know whiplash in the hallway as the beautiful girl walks by, okay, or or as you experience that that joy of a powerful night with people from church. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:29.199 You know, it's a it's a small group, it's it's something like that, where you were able to connect with somebody deeply and and you're you're able to mutually encourage somebody, or somebody was transparent and that resonated with you, or you were transparent with them, and they appreciated that. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:31.759 And it's this awesome experience. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:36.879 There are a time where you were blessed by someone's generosity, and you're saying, wow, wow, that's incredible. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:50.079 Okay, all of these things are meant to show you and I, they're meant to point us to the glory of God that He's revealing in those situations, in those, in those people, in those, those relationships, those moments. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:07:03.759 What I'm saying here is that the beauty that we see in nature or or in in the arts or or in people is meant to reveal or and and help us see the beauty and the glory of God. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:11.759 It's him, it's it's his glory that we're to sense, that we're to marvel in when we experience these things. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:23.839 And so, in some ways, the way I've been kind of thinking about it is we're actually, if you think about it, we're supposed to look through those experiences, those those moments, and and see something awesome about God and revel in him. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:32.399 Now, I'm aware that that's quite a bit of preamble here, and we haven't even really got into the you know the main point that we're looking at today or the verse or anything like that. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:33.680 So here you are, here we go. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:37.360 Okay, it's I am astounded as I consider that God is glorious. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:38.560 Okay, He truly is. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:40.160 I am astounded by that. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:44.800 And the verse we're looking at even quickly here today is Psalm 72, verse 19. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:53.439 Okay, so take a look at it with me, and here's what it says very simply: Blessed be his name, sorry, blessed be his glorious name forever. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:57.439 May the whole earth be filled with his glory. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.199 Amen and amen. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:12.480 Okay, so whereas the verse we looked at last week, Isaiah 6, verse 3, says, the whole earth is full of his glory, because it is, this verse here is saying, May the whole earth be filled with his glory. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:17.120 Meaning, may we, you know, may we be more aware of it. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:26.480 May it be the desire of our hearts to see the God of heaven, the Almighty Creator glorified in every single moment of our lives. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:37.200 In every conversation we would have with anybody, with any experience that we might have or thought that may come through our minds, may the Lord uh of glory be glorified. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:40.639 May the whole earth be filled with his glory. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:09:04.639 Now, now when the Bible describes God's glory and and what it's like, it actually uses a couple of different words, and I know some of these are gonna be familiar with you for sure, but in Ezekiel, in Ezekiel 43, verse 2, it says, And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:11.840 And his voice was like the sound of many waters, and the whole earth, notice, shone with his glory. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:13.200 It shone with his glory. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:16.559 So it's picturing his glory as this bright thing, as a light. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:20.320 Okay, the the rest of the Bible talks about that that idea many times as well. 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:22.320 New Testament uh on top of it. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:35.039 Of course, um, Luke 2, uh, verse 9, very similar in its choice of words, as an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:39.919 Okay, ligonier Ministries uh says this, got this for you on the screen. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.960 It says, When we think of the glory of the Lord, the image of brilliant light often comes to mind. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:55.279 That is certainly appropriate, as Scripture often describes the glory of God in terms of light that shines brighter than anything that we experience on earth. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:00.480 In Exodus 24, uh verse 17, it says this. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:05.039 It says, Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:06.159 Notice that description. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:10.240 A devouring fire on top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:17.840 Okay, so again, in this case, you know, it's pictured as this intense, all-consuming fire. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:31.600 Now, I remember hearing uh a long time ago somebody once say something along the lines of, as light is to bulb, okay, or heat is to fire, or wet is to water, glory is to God. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:36.480 Okay, so so glory is what emanates from God. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:50.080 Now, during the Exodus, the Lord's very presence led Israel through the wilderness by way of, you remember this, a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:11:01.120 And the glory that emanated from the cloud in particular is described in Exodus chapter 40 as way too intense for Moses to be even be able to deal with. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.679 Okay, here's what it says in verse 34 and 35. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:21.039 It says, Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, and Moses, notice, was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:40.639 Okay, okay, bottom line out of everything that we're that we're talking about here today is that God's glory is far too awesome and and potent to perfectly describe, okay, and then and then completely experienced for us as mere mortals. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:44.240 Okay, that we we want it, we want a taste of it, we want a glimpse of it. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:49.120 We want the Lord to pour out all of those things, but we couldn't even handle the full weight of it. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:12:04.960 Okay, but to try and understand it as best as we can, and then to desire and experience in our lives and as a church is clearly of utmost importance to the scriptures, and so therefore, it should be of utmost importance to us as well. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:11.759 Okay, that's why literally every Sunday morning as I'm driving here to the service. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:16.320 Sometimes I have Wyatt with me in the car if he's serving, and sometimes I'm coming by myself. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:22.639 Every single morning I pray essentially what Moses cried out for in Exodus 33, verse 18. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:26.159 Remember, he said to the Lord, show me your glory. 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:27.519 That's what he wanted. 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:28.320 Show me your glory. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.039 And so that's that's honestly my prayer all the time. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:36.080 Lord, give us, give Redemption Church a glimpse of how awesome you are today. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.840 Lord, would you do it? 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:40.320 Would you reveal yourself to us? 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:45.840 God, would you divert our attention away from the distractions of the world? 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:47.600 For for a moment, even. 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:57.200 Would you get our minds off of our problems, off of our fears and all the different ways that we're so self-centered all the time? 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:00.080 God, would you captivate us with your glory? 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:10.240 Because when we're struck, Lord, by this, when when when you show up and do something awesome and we're we're we're rattled by your beauty, our hearts are changed. 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:10.720 Right? 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:12.320 We are changed. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.480 Our hearts align with with God's heart. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.960 And we're transformed, right? 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:23.200 From into people who, again, from the heart want to glorify God. 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.919 Not people who can just say the right things, right? 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.960 And put on a show for an hour or two at church. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:32.159 No, the people who are transformed from the inside out. 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:36.320 And so listen, like some variation of that is what I'm praying every single Sunday morning. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.279 And I would urge you, I would plead with you, please pray that too. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:43.279 Pray that exact thing as you're driving into church in the morning. 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:47.919 Get your kids to quiet down and tell them, no, listen, we're gonna pray for this. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:52.000 We're gonna come, we're gonna ask the Lord to do something awesome today at church. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:58.799 I'm not saying this because this is like the launch Sunday, and it's like a quote unquote specialer Sunday than others. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:06.799 No, this is like every Sunday, whether it's in the like dead of February or it's in the summer and and people are away. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:10.720 No, we want to see this all the time, all the time. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:12.320 Right? 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:14.799 Because in the end, that is why we've been created. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:17.360 It really is the reason. 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:19.440 It's about God's glory. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:25.440 It's about that, it's not about our own, it's not about, or it is about us being essentially smacked in the face with it. 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:25.840 Right? 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:29.840 Time and time again, God show it to us over and over. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:35.519 Yes, it's about experiencing it ourselves, but but it's for his sake that we're to do so. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:36.000 Right? 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:38.399 It's why Isaiah 43, verse 7. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:43.039 It says this everyone who is called by name, who I created for your own glory. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:45.440 No, for my glory, that's what God says. 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:47.440 Whom I formed and made. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:54.240 It's why 1 Corinthians 10, 31 says, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:01.440 Okay, so if it really is about Him, it's about His glory, how can we do that? 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:12.320 Pastor, give me some like practical nuggets that I can take home that I can think about, and maybe some strategies or some things that I can kind of put into work and get maybe better. 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:17.360 Just grow and being more effective and giving glory to the Lord, doing that more effectively and more often. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.080 Okay, so the question really is how do we grow in this? 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.399 How do we grow in being able to give glory to God? 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:26.480 Well, again, here are four practical ways for you, and we'll close with this. 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:28.320 Okay, it's how to give glory to God. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.159 First one, I think this is so important. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:35.200 Learn to see how God's glory is being revealed in every daily moment. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.320 In every daily moment, God is showing us his glory. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.519 The Bible says the whole earth is full of his glory. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:41.919 Right? 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:42.799 It actually is. 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.039 It's just that you and I fail to see it. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:53.120 We get so self-consumed, we see what's going on in the world, we see what's going on in our own lives, and we get wrapped up in all of that, and we and we and we miss it. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:54.080 Right? 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:58.639 But but learn in those everyday moments where you're watching or playing sports. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:15:59.679 Right? 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.639 Like, think about it. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.879 Like, how is God showing up right now and showing us a glimpse of himself? 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:12.320 As you're listening to the music that you like, as you're driving to work, yes, even when you're stuck in traffic on the 401. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:18.960 Okay, think about how is God showing me and revealing his glory as you're as you're as you're disciplining the kids, right? 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:22.879 As you're doing that, God is showing you something of himself that's awesome. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:27.600 As those everyday, seemingly sometimes mundane moments are happening. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:29.200 Ask for eyes to see. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:32.240 God help me to see who you are. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:37.519 And really for us, it's it's to do the work of considering this, right? 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:43.200 Uh how is God revealing his glory to me in all the different situations that I face? 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:46.960 I'll give you a real practical one from me uh just recently. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:50.480 As you all know, and I talk way too much about, I enjoy golf. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:55.200 Okay, I do this, and so I I get out on the course and and I I enjoy golf. 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:57.600 At least I I like to think that I enjoy golf. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.799 But far too often I get mad because I stink. 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:01.279 Right? 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:04.720 And I and I chunk balls around and I'm terrible. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:06.880 And just just recently I got upset about it. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:09.119 And I actually took my club and I slammed it. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:09.519 Right? 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:15.680 And we and we do this, and and in the in the moment though, I started to think, I'm like, man, like get a hold of yourself, your child. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.240 Right? 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:19.200 I I'm thinking this, and I'm like, I gotta stop for a second and just consider. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:20.720 It's a beautiful day. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:21.440 Right? 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:28.960 It's it's it's sunny, it's warm, I'm you know, it's September, I'm still wearing shorts, like this is this is great. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.160 I I I'm with a friend from the church, how how how awesome is that? 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:34.720 We're having great and fruitful conversations. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:41.119 Like, how how amazing is it that God gave somebody the creativity to build a golf course like this? 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:52.400 See how I'm starting, I'm starting to try and try and get myself there to appreciate the the God of glory and to give him more glory in a moment that I actually wanted to just make it about myself and my own stupidity. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:52.799 Right? 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:53.839 There's just things like that. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:59.440 Try and think through how you can work through that and and give glory to the Lord and see it. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:00.880 Here's a second one. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:02.640 How to give glory to God. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:08.000 Ask the question: what will bring the most glory to God right now? 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:11.359 This is a this is a powerful question. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:14.160 I remember someone shared this with me once a few years back. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:18.799 Ask yourself that question when things are difficult. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:21.200 Why is it an important question to ask? 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:26.880 Because it gets our our our minds off of all the selfish things that we want to do in those moments. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:30.240 And and it helps us to think, what would God have me do? 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.839 What would bring him glory? 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:44.720 You're you're in an argument with your spouse, something's not going great at work, you're you're you're in a in an argument with somebody or something's awkward between what what would give God the most glory in this moment? 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:48.960 Is it is it to get mad at that person and give him a piece of my mind? 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:51.200 Is it to lay into my boss? 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:54.960 Is it to retreat and do nothing and pretend it's all gone away? 00:18:55.519 --> 00:19:03.279 I think if the answer to the question, what gives God the most glory, is far different than what our tendencies would be, right? 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.039 I think it's an important question to ask. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:10.400 You ask that question, you allow the Lord to reveal that to you, and you act on it, you're giving glory to God. 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:14.000 Here's the third one how to give glory to God. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.680 Come to church expecting God to reveal his glory. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:24.480 How many times do we come to church and we haven't put any thought process into what's about to happen? 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:25.119 Right? 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:27.200 Do we do we come in actually expecting? 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:29.680 No, the Lord's gonna do something awesome today. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:38.480 He's gonna come in, he's gonna teach me something, he's gonna remind me something uh that I already knew, but I need to know more deeply. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:43.440 He's gonna allow me to connect with somebody where I can encourage them or or they can encourage me. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.319 I expect God to show up in glory. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:47.359 Do you do that? 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:52.799 Do you come like that's that's my heart, that's my intent. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.960 I think that's an important one. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:59.119 The fourth question is very similar, or fourth thing is very similar here. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:02.960 But come to church prepared to give glory to God. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:05.759 Come prepared to give Him glory. 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:10.880 Again, I I think so many times, and I think about this for myself too, and I'm the pastor of this church. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:14.000 How many times do I come here and I'm just not quite prepared? 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:18.640 Maybe it's not about a sermon, but maybe it's about some some other element of something I've got to do today. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:20.880 Maybe my heart's not quite in the right spot. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.039 Maybe I'm not quite prayed up. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.039 Maybe I'm not anything. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.559 You can fill in the blanks. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:31.920 How many times do we just roll in here because it's just the cultural thing that we do as Christians in Canada? 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:38.559 We've come in, we haven't prepared, we haven't been in the scriptures, we haven't read the Thursday email and even know what the message is gonna be about. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:42.000 We haven't done any of those things, we haven't prepared our families. 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:49.119 We haven't got them in the word, we haven't been praying for them, we haven't been praying for the people that we know that we're gonna be uh communicating with and seeing. 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:51.200 We need to come prepared for church. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.799 I've heard people say that begins Saturday. 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.160 It never ends. 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:56.000 It begins all through the week. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:04.000 We spend time with the Lord, we're preparing ourselves, and it's that march towards Sunday where we're gonna be with the Lord and with our church family. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:08.799 It's so important that we be prepared to give glory to God. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:10.480 And that is what we're gonna do. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:12.160 We do it all the time through singing. 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:15.519 We've already sung a couple of songs, we've got a couple of more that we want to sing. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.599 I'm gonna have the worship team come on back up. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:23.200 We're gonna respond to our glorious God by seeking to give him more glory through worship. 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:24.079 Let's pray. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:30.160 Lord, we come before you and we're so grateful that you are this glorious God who is awesome, Lord. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:34.640 And if we're really honest, we would admit that we just don't always sense it or see it. 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:42.480 Lord, we know that as we read through the scriptures, you are uh declaring your glory through the things that have been made. 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:46.160 Lord, through through people, through situations. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.279 The whole earth is full of your glory. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:58.799 And so, Lord, I pray that God, as we go forward into this fall and as life. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:09.759 Gets more into the routine of what we're used to, school and work routines and schedules and vacations kind of in the rearview mirror now, Lord. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:16.880 I I pray that more than ever, Lord, we would desire to see your glory and glory in you. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:24.480 And so, God, I pray that as we sing, you would be pleased and you would be uh truly honored and glorified through our time. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:26.799 We pray this all in Christ's name. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.519 Amen.