Why We Go Through Trials

This has been a very unusual and difficult year for me so far, as it may have been for
you. I have experienced several losses that have taken their toll on me. Unfortunately,
loss, pain, suffering and other types of trials are a part of living in a sinful world.
Because of that, Jesus warned us about trials (John 16:33). If trials have taught me
anything, it’s that trials, if we use them correctly, bring us closer to God. Because of this,
I can be grateful for the trials that God allows me to have. However, sometimes trials
cause us to question God. We want to know why we are suffering. Is there a purpose to
what we go through? While we can’t always know, the Bible shows us a few reasons why
God allows trials in our lives.
One of the goals of the Christian life is that we become more like Christ (Roms. 8:29).
Trials teach us divine characteristics such as peace, patience, and perseverance. Trials
conform us to look like, act like, and be like Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7 explains, “In this you
greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed
by various trials, so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which
perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the
revelation of Jesus Christ . . .” (NASB). Trials prove the genuineness of our faith, and
this kind of genuine faith looks like Christ. The result of a lasting trial is Christ-like
character: “. . . we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings
about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
and hope does not disappoint , because the love of God has been poured out within our
hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Roms. 5:3-5).
Job went through a time of severe testing where he lost everything: his wealth, his
family and later his health and physical wellbeing. He is an example of someone who
developed a right view of God as a result of trials. Job’s words in Job 42:5, “I have heard
of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You.” Learning Who God is: his
faithfulness, his love, his mercifulness, is essential to giving God the glory that He
deserves. We often can’t learn how good God is without going through something hard
where we have nowhere to turn but to Him.
The Bible teaches through the apostle Paul about God’s sufficiency for our every need.
Paul tells that he had what he called a “thorn in the flesh.” He doesn’t explain what this
“thorn” was except to say that it was a “messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me
from exalting myself” (1 Cor. 12:7). Paul prayed three times for this physical issue to be
taken away. God’s answer was very telling: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is
perfected in weakness” (12:9). Paul goes on to say what he learned through having this
trial: “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power
of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in difficulties,

on behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (12:9-10). Paul was grateful
for his trials because it was during those trials that he experienced God’s strength the
most. Those of us that have experienced a lingering or lengthy trial know this to be true.
We look back and can say with the Psalmist “my help comes from the Lord” (Ps. 121:2).
Jesus did not promise us an easy life, quite the opposite, in fact (John 16:33). But we can
take comfort in knowing that God is with us through every trial (Matt. 28:20) and Christ
has overcome the world (John 16:33). I don’t know about you, but it does bring me
comfort to know, too, that my trials are bringing me closer to God and helping me to be
more like Jesus. Let your trials be your teacher today. Let them teach you Who God is and who you are to Him. 

What Does the Bible Say about Our Mouths?

I don’t know about you, but one of my greatest adversaries is my mouth or my tongue as the Bible often refers to it. As a child I was told that I “ran off” at the mouth. Essentially, this means I spoke before engaging my brain (thinking). I have hurt many people with my words, and I regret it. Although I know this area of my life has improved significantly since putting my faith in Christ as my Savior, I know I am far from perfect when it comes to the way I use my words/ mouth. So, what does the Bible say about how we use our mouths? And what should we use them for?

The Bible has a lot to say about the power of the tongue. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Prov. 18:21, ESV). Proverbs 12:18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” James 3:5 notes, “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire  by a small spark!” Wow! The tongue has significant power, both for good and bad. Death and life and fire and words piercing like swords! There is a lot of power in what we say. As Christians we need to be very careful in the way we wield the “sword” of our words. We want to honor God in all we do.

We know we need to be careful with our words, so what should we say? According to Scripture, there is a lot we should say. Romans 10:9 tells us that salvation is from confessing with our tongues and believing with our hearts: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Ephesians 4:29 offers good advice for how we should use our words: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Most of all, we should be using our mouths, that God created, to praise and glorify Him: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6).

The Bible is clear about the importance of our words/ tongue. We are all sinners and can use God’s gift of speech for evil, but our goal should always be to bring God glory in everything we do, especially how we communicate with Him and others.

​

How To Study the Bible

Developing a biblical worldview takes time and effort on our parts. If we want to
view the world as God does, then we must know God through His Word. Studying God’s
Word should be one of our most essential daily habits. I did some research on how to
effectively study the Bible in an easy to manage way. And for those of us who really
want to understand God’s Word this year, I think this blog will help.


​​

1. Salvation- This should go without saying, but if we are not saved, how can we
understand God’s Word? 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us “But a natural person does
not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he
cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” When we
become Christians, we receive the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that illuminates
God’s Word for us. “...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of HIm. I pray
that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the
hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints...” (Eph.1:17-18). If you truly have a desire to understand God’s Word, you
must belong to God through salvation: repent (turn from) of your sins and believe
the gospel (Who Jesus is and what He did on the cross) (Mark 1:15).

2. Pray- Before reading God’s Word, pray and ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in
understanding what you read. He wrote it and wants us to understand it correctly.
As Christians, we are required to handle God’s Word correctly. 2 Timothy 2:15,
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need
to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (emphasis added). The
Spirit will help us accurately handle God’s Word.

3. Observation- It is really important that we do not pull one verse out of a passage
and try to understand it. Instead, we must read the surrounding verses and
passages. This is called reading in context, and it is key to understanding
anything that we read, especially the Bible. Here is typically what I do when
reading and observing Scripture: I read and focus on one book of the Bible at a
time. I read and study that book all the way through. First, I gather background
information. I research some background information such as who wrote the
book, to whom did he write, when was the book written, and why was the book
written. (Many study Bibles have this information at the beginning of each book.)
Second, while reading, I try to notice key details: repeated words or phrases,
important words and phrases and themes. I also look at what is going on in the
passage.

4. Interpretation- When interpreting the Bible, we should keep in mind that the
Bible was not written about us, but it was written for us. This is where
understanding the historical context comes to play. I ask myself when interpreting
a biblical passage, what does this passage mean? What is the message that the
author is trying to convey? What does he want his readers to understand? It is
important to note that whatever the answer is to these questions will not
contradict other teachings of the Bible.

5. Application- The purpose of studying Scripture, of course, is to be able to
correctly apply it to our lives. Questions to consider for biblical application are:
How does this passage apply to my life? What lesson can I learn from this
passage? What do I learn about God in this section? Sometimes, for example, I
may learn that God uses trials in a believer’s life to work out His plan and
purpose but that He will be with the believer in the trial. I would apply that to my
life by recognizing that the trials in my life are allowed by God and He will be with
me during the trial. Then I live out my life in confidence, knowing that God is in
complete control over everything that happens to me, and somehow He will work
my life out for my good and His glory.

6. Use Resources- If something you are studying seems confusing or unclear, use
a tool such as a Bible commentary for help. Here are some free online resources:
www.bibleref.com, www.blueletterbible.org . Bible commentaries should not be
used instead of personal Bible study, but they are a tool to help with your
personal Bible study. Another great resource is www.stepbible.org which is
helpful in understanding the original languages of the Bible. The website is easy
to use even for a beginner Bible student.

I hope this blog is a helpful resource to use in going deeper into God’s Word this
year.

Angela Talbert
​Christian Life Academy Dean of Students

Does God Care About My Entertainment Choices?

As a new year begins, many of us set resolutions that usually fall by the wayside
by February 1st. Some of those resolutions involve limiting TV, social media, and the
like. When developing a biblical worldview, one must ask himself: does God care about
what I watch or read? Are these relatively small things a big deal to Him? Let’s take a
look at what the Bible says.

There are actually many biblical passages, both Old and New Testament, that
lend themselves to the discussion of entertainment choices. As Christians we are “new
creations” (2 Cor. 5:17), and we don’t want to be conformed to the patterns and habits
of this world (Rom. 12:2). Therefore, we should be different from the world, and that
difference should be reflected in the way we choose to live, including our leisure time.
Philippians 4:8 gives us a quick guideline when it comes to choosing entertainment:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things (emphasis added).” In this verse,
the apostle Paul gives us several descriptive words of what to think about. All the words
boil down to this: if there is nothing good about what we are watching or reading or
focusing on, then we need to get rid of it! Here are some examples of what to get rid of
besides the obvious of pornography, sexually explicit material, blood and gore, etc. Let’s
say you are scrolling Facebook and you come across a post made by someone going
through a messy divorce. This person is angry with their spouse and has chosen to list
in a lengthy post all the bad things they feel the person has done. Is there anything good in that post that would meet the standard set in Philippians 4:8? Probably not. Is there anything beneficial to your reading that post? No. Scroll away. There is nothing for the Christian in a post like that. Don’t use the excuse that “I am only reading this so I can pray.” You can pray for that situation without reading the post.

Philippians 4:8 is far from the only verse where God’s Word gives instruction on
what we put in front of ourselves. Psalm 101:3 says, “I wil not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless...” and again in Psalm 119:37 the Psalmist prays saying,
“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” Notice
here that the Psalmist isn’t talking just about overtly sinful things like pornography, but
he mentions worthless things. This could include things that are time wasters, things
that take away from those things that God wants us to do or that God has called us to
do. This doesn’t necessarily mean those things that are sinful; these verses could
include those things that take us away from time with God.

What are we to do then as Christians in order to keep our minds steady on Christ
and His Word during this new year? How are we to make better choices when it comes
to how we spend our time? Colossians chapter 3 is a great read for help in this area.
Verse 2 tells us, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on
earth.” We are to think about and dwell on godly things. Things that meet the criteria
found in Philippians 4:8. Verse 5 says to “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you...”
The “earthly” things in us are those sinful things that should no longer be part of our
lives now that we are saved, things such as lying, anger, immorality, obscene talk, etc.
Instead, we are to practice things such as kindness, humility, and forgiveness. If you
truly want to set aside sinful habits this new year, I would urge you to pray over and
study Colossians chapter 3.
​
There is much more the Bible says about what we set before us and how we use
our time. In this new year, choose to focus on Christ, His Word, and make that your
daily aim.

A Tribute to My Grandma Doris Terry: What Is a Biblical Woman?
As my family prepares to lay my grandma to rest tomorrow, I have been thinking
about her life and legacy, not only as my grandmother but also her legacy as a believer
in Christ. She was a godly woman; in fact, she is the person I credit with my coming to
Christ. She regularly took me to church as a child, but there was so much more to her
witness than simply taking me to church. She lived Christ. She lived out an example of
what a biblical woman should be in front of everyone that she encountered. Don’t get
me wrong, she was not perfect, but she was wonderful, and she made everything better
and special. Next to my mother, Grandma was the person who had the single greatest
impact on my life. She left a legacy of Christ with her family that will have a far-reaching
impact, for many generations to come.
When thinking about Grandma this week, I couldn’t help but think about the
Proverbs 31 woman. In Proverbs 31:10-31, King Lemuel describes what a godly woman
is. I want to pick through several of these verses in this passage and talk about the
example that Grandma left with me.
“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart
of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and
not harm, all the days of her life” (10-12, ESV). Grandpa had a good wife, and he knew
it. That’s why they were married for almost sixty-five years before he passed.
Grandma’s heart was with Grandpa. She once told me that her family was her mission
field. Grandpa did not give his life to Jesus until he was in his seventies. Nevertheless,
every Sunday she would kiss him goodbye and ask him if he wanted to go to church
with her. He declined for decades, but that didn’t stop her from trying. She once told me
that the reason she only went to church on Sunday mornings was that she didn’t think it
was a good witness to Grandpa because she was afraid he would resent the church if
she was there all the time and not with him. That made a real and lasting mark on me.
“She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands... She rises while it is yet
night and provides food for her household...” (13, 15a). Grandma was one of the
hardest working people I have met. She stayed home with her children while they were
growing up. But when the youngest went off to kindergarten, Grandma went to work. I
know she cleaned houses for awhile, and eventually she worked for G.C. Murphy’s,
from where she retired. Though working outside the home, Grandma continued to keep
her home (including cooking every day),taking care of Grandpa and her children, going
to church, and spending daily time in God’s Word. Even after retirement, she worked
part time, had some of her great-grandchildren over a couple times a week, kept her
home and yard, spent daily time with the Lord, went to church, and, of course, took care
of Grandpa. Somedays when she woke up not feeling well or she was tired, her advice

to herself was “get up and get moving.” She said that always made her feel better. She
loved to be busy, especially doing things with or for her family.
“She opens her hands to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy” (20).
At her funeral this week, a former neighbor of my grandmother’s told me how often
Grandma would bring food to people in their neighborhood who were sick or who had
lost a loved one. I had seen her do that many times for funeral dinners at her church. I
know she visited many who were in the hospital or nursing homes. Grandma loved the
Lord and wanted to be His “hands and feet.” She shared what she had, especially her
time. On many occasions when I was in need, and even when I wasn’t, I was the
recipient of the generosity of her time. I am so grateful for that.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come” (25).
Grandma was such a spiritually strong person. She lost two children, her first and last,
in their infancy. She lost her husband too. I remember once that a well-meaning relative
asked Grandma after Grandpa’s death if she wanted to go to be with Grandpa. Her
answer was short and to the point: no, God still had work for her to do. And, of course,
He did. She never worried about the future; she knew the One that held it.
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her
tongue” (26). Grandma was not one to offer unsolicited advice, but somehow, God
always used her to give me, and I am sure others, wisdom when I needed it. As a young
wife and mother, Grandma gave me the assurance that I was doing fine. She helped me
navigate troubles and trials in my life with her godly peace, letting me know that “this too
shall pass.” I will miss her calm assurance and words of encouragement that she
shared liberally.
“Her children rise up and call her blessed...” (28a). My uncle, Grandma’s
youngest son, delivered the funeral message yesterday. His desire was to honor his
mother while glorifying God. He reached his goal. The words he spoke about Grandma
were a tribute to a woman who devoted her life to God and to her family and a tribute to
the God that she loves. Grandma often said that she did not know how people
navigated life without Jesus because she knew she couldn’t. I know that every one of
her family has something wonderful to say about her. We call her blessed because she
blessed us.
Let me pause to say something about how Grandma came to be a godly woman.
If you think Grandma is in heaven today because of all the good works she has done,
you are sorely mistaken. Good works cannot save anyone. Grandma did those good
things, not to be right with God, but because she was right with God. She did good
things out of the overflow of her heart. Grandma is in heaven today because she
believed in Jesus for salvation. Romans 10:9-10 tells us how to join Grandma in heaven
when we die: “...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one
believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” If you are

reading this and you don’t know Christ as your Savior, I would urge you to follow
Romans 10:9. This is the only way to be saved from your sins. Then get a Bible and
start reading and find a Bible-teaching church to grow in your new-found faith in Christ.
I want to close with the closing words of Proverbs 31:29-30 as a final blessing to
my dear, sweet grandmother: “‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass
them all.’ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to
be praised.” I love you, Grandma, and I cannot wait to see you again!

What Does the Bible Say About Obedience?

Obedience is a word that gets a bad rap today. We as Americans feel as if we shouldn’t have to obey anyone. What is the old saying? To thine own self be true? Obedience has been on my mind lately. It is not easy to submit to authority, but we have an example in the obedience of Christ. The Bible ,in fact, has a lot to say about
obedience and to whom we are required to be obedient.

Although we may not always agree with our government, we are required to be obedient to governing authorities. Romans 13:1 (ESV) states this explicitly: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” God, Himself, put those leaders
in their positions. (And, yes, it is possible for God to give us “evil kings” just as He
allowed Israel to have evil rulers.) When we obey laws and leaders, we are showing
respect and love for God Who put them in their positions. Whether or not the leaders in
authority realize it or not, God put them in their positions to do His will and to bring
about His purpose. We are even told in 1 Timothy to pray for our leaders: “First of all,
then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all
people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and
quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (2:1-2). But the Bible tells us that we must
follow biblical principles above all. The book of Daniel gives us a great example of this
when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down before the idol that the
king set up: “But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or
worship the golden image that you have set up” (3:18). This example from Daniel tells
believers that if a governing authority would require us to do something contrary to the
Bible, we have to follow the Word of God as the highest authority in our lives. We will
need to say as Peter did in the book of Acts, “We must obey God rather than men”
(5:29).

And...brace yourselves, ladies, we are required to submit to our husbands.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of
the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their
husbands” (Eph. 5:22-24). A very wise pastor once explained this to me in this way:
Husbands and wives are equal in dignity and worth; the wife in no way is lesser than her
husband. But if a married couple cannot come to an agreement on something, the wife
should submit to the husband, even if she knows he is wrong. As the head of the
household, it is the husband’s responsibility to deal with the fall out from the wrong
decision he may make. It is his burden to bear. And, ladies, just in case you think that
the men get off the hook, they don’t: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her... In the same way husbands should love their wives
as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself...let each one of you love his
wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Eph.5:25-33).
Most of all, we are required to obey God. Jesus equates obedience to showing
love: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Submitting to
God’s authority is a way to show that we love Him. 1 John 5:3 emphasizes this
love-obedience equation, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome.” 2 John 1:6 continues this theme: “And
this is love, that we walk according to his commandments...” It is clear biblical teaching
that if we love God, we will obey Him. This means submitting to Him even when we
don’t feel like it and want our own way. If we love God, we will obey Him. It is plain and
simple.
​
I would encourage all of us to take some time and go through Scripture studying
obedience. We should look to the obedience of Christ as our example. Keep in mind, if
God has told you to be obedient to Him, He will give you the strength to do it. I know
some of you are going through some very tough times right now. I urge you to be
obedient to God through these trials. Don’t run from them. Allow God to do a good work
in you through them

​How to View Trials in Our Lives According to Scripture

   In this week’s biblical worldview post, we are tackling the topic of trials. Bad things happen to everyone. No one’s life is perfect. Since the fall of man, tragedies are, unfortunately, part of our everyday lives. But what is the purpose of trials and how
should we react to them?

Like everything else in life, God is in control. (“The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps” Proverbs 16:9, ESV). The sooner we recognize that,
the better off we will be. We have to recognize, though, that God is in control of the
good and bad things that happen in our lives, but there is a lot of peace knowing that
nothing happens outside of God’s sovereign control. We don’t always know God’s
specific purpose for allowing certain situations to take place in our lives; we may never
know, but we can rest assured that God has a good plan (Roms. 8:28) and a purpose
for it all. God tells us in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We
do not always have the capacity to understand what God is working out in our lives, but
we can trust that He knows what He is doing.
In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, the apostle Paul talks about the trials that he endured
for being a disciple of Christ: “Five times I received...forty lashes less one. Three times I
was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a
day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from my own people, danger
from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from
false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst,
often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily
pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

In chapter 12, Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh” that some scholars believe
to have been a problem with his eyesight. Nevertheless, Paul tells us what God told him
when he pleaded with God to remove the issue: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cors. 12:9). There is a lesson for us in God’s
response to Paul. God’s power is perfect in our weakness. When we are weak and feel
like we can’t go on because of the physical and mental anguish of our lives, God’s
power is perfect. He is still there. He is still with us. He still supplies. Our trials
strengthen our faith because they cause us to turn to Him. The apostle Paul said: “For
the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cors. 12:10). He was strong
when he was weak because in his weakness, he learned to rely fully on God, and God
was supplying His strength.
​
I would urge you, dear brother or sister, if you are going through a difficult
season, as I am, rely on God to be your strength. I have never grown so close to God
as when I am going through trials and difficulties. He has never failed to be my strength.

                                     Our Purpose

       In last week’s blog post, I wrote about the biblical worldview metanarrative of creation, fall, and redemption and how we are created with a purpose on purpose by a
loving heavenly Father. I told you that our purpose, at least in part, is to have dominion over the earth. But our purpose is even greater than just having dominion over God’s creation, and that is the topic of this week’s post: Our Purpose from a Biblical Viewpoint.
Throughout the entire story of the Bible: creation, fall, and redemption, we can
see a thick thread of a theme that runs clearly through the storyline of Scripture. We see
it in the Old Testament, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear (to fear,
reverence, honor, respect) God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty
of man” (Eccles. 12:13, ESV); “Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise in
the coastlands” (Isa. 42:12). We also see the same theme throughout the New
Testament, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”
(1 Cor. 10:31); “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see
your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). (There
are so many other verses that are worth noting, but I am limited by time and space.)
However, do you see the thread? Our main purpose is to glorify God! The God Who
created us, loves us, and redeems us deserves glory, so we need to bring Him the glory
that He deserves. But how does someone glorify the God of the universe?
​
      To glorify God, you must be saved. You cannot glorify God if you are not serving
Him, and you cannot serve Him unless you belong to Him. “And without faith it is
impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6). To be saved you must
“…confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised
him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). There is a component of repentance
or the turning from one’s sins that exists in confessing and believing because there is a
change of heart that happens when we believe in what Christ has done for us. So,
salvation is the first step in glorifying God, but what else can we do to bring glory to
God?

     Glorifying God isn’t a one-time situation; it is a lifestyle. We should aim to glorify
God in everything we do. Looking back to the verse I noted earlier, 1 Corinthians 10:31,
we are supposed to do everything to the glory of God, even eating and drinking! This
means the way we get out of bed, speak to our spouses, the way we treat others, the
way we do our job, the way we take care of the blessings God gives us, even the
thoughts that we think. When we want to bring glory to God, bringing Him glory involves
EVERYTHING we do. It also involves all of who we are.

       In Romans 12:1-2 we are taught several things about glorifying God with all that
we are: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by
testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect.” What does it mean “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice”? In the Old
Testament, when a sacrifice was offered, the priest would lay his hands on the head of
the animal to consecrate the sacrifice (to set it apart for use by God). We, however, are
supposed to be living sacrifices. This means our entire lives should be set apart to be
used by God. Our lives are no longer our own; they belong to God. In the matter of
“being transformed by the renewal of your mind,” we are supposed to have “the mind of
Christ” (1Cor. 2:16). The mind of Christ comes about by allowing the Holy Spirit to wash
our minds with God’s Word so that we think like Christ. In order to have the washing of
the Word (Eph. 5:26), we must be in God’s Word daily, reading and studying.

      I hope that you can see that our purpose here on earth, and one day in heaven,
is to bring God the glory that He deserves. We must do that with all that we are and all
that we do. You and I will fall short in our purpose sometimes, but the good news is that
there is forgiveness in Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:32), and God’s mercies are new every
morning (Lam. 3:22-23). Strive to allow the Holy Spirit to guide your life because He
never fails to glorify God.