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From the Dictionary of Theology:

In the Old Testament the word for “glory” is the Hebrew word   כָּבֹוד “kabowd” which carries the idea of heaviness and weight.  In the New Testament the Greek word is δόξα “doxa” which carries the idea of opinion, judgment, estimate, splendor, brightness, etc. It is used to speak of great honor, praise, value, wonder, and splendor. Glory is spoken of in reference to people and God.  Glory is given by God and also is a manifestation of God’s greatness and presence that is awesome to behold.

 

But to really define glory virtually impossible. It’s the sum of WHO God is, WHAT He is and WHAT He does. How can that all be summed up in a neat one-sentence definition?

 

Weigh of Glory

 

Personally, I’ve come to know God’s glory to be the external, present, manifestation of His presence in my life and all around me. For me, it is sensing, seeing and feeling his character and attributes manifested spiritually and physically. God’s glory is the FULL sum of who He is and what He does. When basking in His glory I am completely consumed, feeling as if my heart may nearly burst from being FULL of His love and His light. 

 

God’s glory is The Lord of the Universe putting Himself on display for us to see and experience. And everywhere we look and in everything we do, His glory is evident, if we have eyes to see.

 

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Psalm 19:1

 

Jesus himself is the express image of God’s glory. He is the sum of God’s character, attributes and actions all wrapped up in human form.

 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

 

As Jesus is the express image of God’s glory, our lives should reflect His glory. As true disciples and followers of Christ we ought to be a tangible representation of His truth, love and grace in all the earth. As He takes us from glory to glory, we in turn ought to give Him more glory. Our demonstrations of praise, worship and love for mankind give Him glory.

 

Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

1 Chronicles 16:24

 

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Oh God that we would have eyes to see and ears to hear; to immerse ourselves in the weight of your glory. For it to completely envelope us like a cloak of fog in the UK.

Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting,

and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:34

 

 

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Oh Lord that we your people would bask in your glory, that we would be so completely saturated by it. That we would absorb its life sustaining nutrients and that we would then reflect its brilliance.

Arise, shine; For your light has come!

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

Isaiah 60:1

 

Basking in Glory

 

Join me in basking in His glory.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

What an incredible parallel, a simple two atoms of hydrogen combined with one atom of oxygen, creates the very thing that is necessary to sustain life.

 

WATER

 

Water gives life.

 

Water sustains life.

 

Water is life.

 

 

While our world is almost covered with water, nearly all of it is unsuitable for drinking. With water all around us, 97% is undrinkable as is. And most of that which is drinkable is locked in ice.

 

Such is life. While there are many things that vie for our attention and try to meet our needs, there is but ONE we were created to desire above all. Drinking contaminated water will make you ill. Likewise, trying to fill your longings with people, food, or stuff will make you spiritually ill.

 

Jesus, The One, is the only ONE capable of quenching your thirst.

 

Our thirst, an unquenchable thirst can only be satiated by taking a drink from the rivers of living water. You can survive weeks without food but only days without water. And my soul is thirsty for a tall, cool, refreshing drink delivered directly from the Master’s water pot.

 

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Psalm 63:1-2

 

And when I beseech Him, He supplies. He supplies all my needs and I am satisfied.

 

A sip from His cup pours:

~Patience in my heart for my children

~Love and affection for my husband

~Words that edify for the women I serve

~Physical stamina to carry my cross

 

His nourishing waters incite action. Trees grow, flowers bloom and succulent fruit hangs heavy with growth.

 

Oh Father, plant me. I want my roots to go deep. Like the mighty, strong baobab tree, let my trunk be thick and filled with your living waters. I am the tree planted by rivers of living water. My leaves will not wither. Rooted in you I am fruitful.

 

And the blessings will flow from generation to generations. As the rivers of living waters flow, they will reach even to your children’s children.

 

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,

and my blessing on your descendants.

They will spring up like grass in a meadow,

like poplar trees by flowing streams.

Isaiah 44:3-4

 

Thanks be to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ for being our Living Water. He alone supplies EVERYTHING we need to sustain life. When we drink deeply from His cup, our thirst is quenched and we are imbued with everlasting life.

 

“But whoever drinks of the water

that I shall give him will never thirst.

But the water that I shall give him

will become in him a fountain of water

springing up into everlasting life.”

John 4:14

 

Even now as I type, the rivers of living water are overtaking me. I go with the flow, go with the current and am overtaken by the sheer magnitude of His love. My heart is so full and I have so much to say on this subject. I have a feeling this will go on to be a series. My spirit is free and soaring and my thoughts are moving faster than my hands can type.

 

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Friends, I pray you do not allow yourselves to become dehydrated. Most often, when we realize we are thirsty, we are already nearing dehydration. If you’ve been encouraged to drink 64oz of water a day, how much of Jesus should you be drinking daily? In fact, if you are a believer, the water is in you. Just like reaching water in the desert, you may have to dig deep for it. Your body is composed of more than 60% water. So dig deep into yourself. Crucify your flesh and it’s longings to release the water (for more on releasing your spirit CLICK HERE).

 

Be proactive.

 

Dig deep.

 

Stay hydrated.

 

Take a deep drink from the Master’s cup.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith

Faster than Florence Griffith Joyner.  More powerful than Ms. Olympia.  Able to leap a mound of laundry single bound.  Look!  Up in the sky!  It’s a bird!  It’s a plane!  It’s Superwoman!

 

Twice on Sunday people made references to me being superwoman.

 

So for once and for all let me dispel that myth. I am no superwoman. More like:

 

Super mistake maker.

 

Super grace receiver.

 

Super Jesus girl.

 

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Truth be told, I am vulnerable. I do get tired. I do lose my cool. I have my kryptonite.

 

But God…

 

Aaron Shust sums it up well for me singing,

 

“My Savior loves, my Savior lives, My Savior’s always there for me. My God He was, my God He is, my God He’s always gonna be”.

 

Without MY Jesus, I can do nothing, be nothing. Apart from the vine we are nothing.

 

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

 

That’s as super as it gets. I’m a super vine clinger.

 

There was a time I tried to be Superwoman. I really believed I could do all and be all to everyone who needed me. But that left me depleted. I Thank God for speaking His truth to my heart and freeing me to know that all I have to do if heed His voice and he’d lead me, love me and empower me.

 

I can only love through Christ who strengthens me. I can love give through Christ who strengthens me. I can only serve through Christ who strengthens me.

 

I don’t try to do all and be all. I stay in my lane and do exactly what he’s called me to do. It’s when we go picking up other things thinking we are superwomen that we can get into trouble. God makes all grace abound toward us to do that which he’s tasked to our hands.

 

Let me give you an example. God has given me the ability to do hair and to do so with a level of excellence that could earn me some good money. I’ve had offers. I’ve had a stylist suggest how I could make it work with my schedule and how much money I could earn. But God told me, “This gift is for HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY”. As a homemaker I had briefly entertained the thought of making some money for doing something I enjoy that isn’t grueling work. Yes, I could do a few heads on the weekend. Then came the gently shoulder tap, “FOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY.” Thus I quickly extinguished the idea because I want to operate in his perfect will not His permissive will. So I travel in my lane with the surety that I receive the needed grace for my calling.

 

So I cling to him. I cry out to him. I am open and honest with him. I lean in to him. I dance with him.

 

And he is faith to hold me, to wipe my tears, to listen to me, to strengthen me and to lead me in the way everlasting.

 

No super mommy

 

No super friend

 

No super minister

 

No super wife

 

Just one super Jesus girl fiercely clinging to the Father.

 

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As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Feature image photo credit

Happy to connect with friends at Purposeful Faith Titus 2sDay Life Giving Linkup