Just A Jewel?

[00:00:00] The general was, when he cometh, and it's about when he cometh to make up his jewels, and then one of the verses says, little children who love their Redeemer are the jewels. And there's several verses, Malachi 3.17 talks about the jewels, Zechariah 9.16, and the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people, for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his hand, a land. Isaiah 62.3 [00:00:32] Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. By the way, last night I was sitting around the campfire kind of late, and somebody, his name rhymes with D. Stella Grange, but he said he hopes I didn't study too hard, because probably everybody's going to sleep this morning anyway. We did have a real good weekend, but there was a lot of people who didn't get a lot of sleep. [00:01:05] Okay, just a jewel. I've been thinking lately about what it means to be a jewel because of our babies. Another thing I thought of is one of our daughters was named Hope. Now the Lord has a Hope Diamond. And I thought, what if that were literal? What if my eternal assignment was to be a jewel in God's crown for people to see and admire? How would I feel about it? Am I content to be just a jewel in the Master's crown? [00:01:43] What is my motive for living right? Is it my eternal reward or my desire that God be glorified? I think many times people, and not everyone is the same, but many times we come to Christ out of either a fear of, or a combination of a fear of hell, a fear of judgment, and a desire to go to heaven. But that can't be our eternal, our constant, our only motivation for living right. [00:02:14] We need to do it out of a desire to glorify God, because of our love for God. How often do I consider that I represent God to the world and that my chief purpose in life is to bring Him glory? Is it okay with me that the purpose of a jewel is to honor or bring glory to the one who wears it? When you're a jewel in the Master's crown, people may notice that jewel, but they're not noticing the jewel because of the jewel. [00:02:46] It brings glory to the one who wears it. It's not the jewel itself that gets the glory. I've got some verses all the way from Matthew through Revelation of the glory of God. And here again, we're not going to turn to these right now, we will be turning to Psalms 104 later. I'd just like to, verses that talk about the glory of God, the importance of bringing glory to God and that whole idea there. [00:03:21] Matthew 6, 13, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. John 7, 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory, but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Romans 11, 36 For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. [00:03:54] Romans 16, 27 To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Galatians 1.5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Philippians 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God 1 Timothy 1.17 [00:04:26] Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen 1 Peter 1.7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be founded to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 5.11 To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [00:04:57] To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Jude 1.25 To the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. And then the rest of them are in Revelation. And these are in the, I mean, now, all these verses I've read up to now are talking about a God that, you know, we're on earth, he's in heaven, it's kind of a little more of a distant. These in Revelation are happening in front of the throne, in heaven, and you hear people saying that when they see God, they're going to ask him, why did this happen? [00:05:36] or you know they're almost a defiant you better have an explanation but look at our response when we're when we're actually before the throne revelations 1 6 and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever amen revelations 4 11 thou art worthy oh lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou has created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Notice when we say that, Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they were created. [00:06:13] We are included in that. We were created for God's pleasure. Revelations 5.12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Revelations 5.13 19. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. [00:06:47] 7. Verse 12. Saying, Amen, blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. 19.1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia, salvation and glory, and honor and power unto the Lord our God. I guess you could probably understand or would expect there's been a lot of why with us trying to figure out what is God's purpose in us losing the babies. [00:07:23] What's he trying to show us? What does he have in this for us? And I guess, for one thing, I've been able to share about God to several people already. You know, they say, well, in the last three weeks I did very little work. And, you know, giving this as an explanation and then yet being saying, but through it all, God has been faithful. You know, give them something to think about. Now, but what we've really had to accept, or what makes it acceptable, is the fact that God is God. [00:08:03] We were created for His pleasure. Our job, our responsibility, is to bring God glory through our lives. And if this is what it takes for us to bring forth glory to God, then we're willing to accept that. Uh, Psalms 104, and I want to, what, God is our creator, so that in alone, that alone is enough for us to owe him glory, to bring him glory. [00:08:35] But if we look down, let's look at Psalms 104, I'll read the whole chapter there, and just look at the things that God does, or has done, reasons that we would have to humbly bow and worship God. The greatness of God is what I want to notice down through here. Psalms 104. 4. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, thou art very great, thou art clothed with honor and majesty, who covers thyself with light as with a garment, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his chariot, who walketh upon the wings of the wind, who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire, who laid the foundation of the earth that it should not be removed forever. [00:09:30] Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment The water stood above the mountains Over in Job it talks about God He hung the world on nothing That's how I think that's a rough translation But that's one way he describes his power, his majesty He took the world and hung it on nothing That is something we cannot do Verse 7 At that rebuke they fled At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away They go up by the mountains, they go down by the valleys, unto the place which thou hast founded for them. [00:10:06] Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over, that they turn not again to cover the earth. He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field, the while losses quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his chambers, the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth [00:10:37] And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart The trees of the Lord are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted Where the birds make their nest, as for the fir trees are her house The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and the rocks for the conies. He appointed the moon for seasons, the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. [00:11:09] The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth into his work, into his labor, until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships, there that Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. [00:11:44] That thou givest them, they gather. Thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled. Thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created, and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the Lord shall endure forever. The Lord shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth. He toucheth the hills, and they smoke. [00:12:16] I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet. I will be glad in the Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord. How often do you think about it that everything on earth We know that everything on earth gets their life from God But that God provides food for everything Everything in the sea, God opens his hand and they are fed [00:12:50] When God hides his face, they are troubled and die When God touches the earth He touches the hills and they smoke We talked about that a couple weeks ago, about God's power, God's awesomeness, God's greatness, and His judgment. And yet we are so small, and we try to, first of all, even understand God more than we can comprehend. [00:13:24] The only thing we know about God is what He tells us. But then to try to argue with God or say you don't have the right to do this or this If we really grasp the difference between us and God You simply cannot, I'm not saying you can never say why You can't ask God for an understanding But to have the idea that what God is doing is not fair God is not something that you deserve. God doesn't have the right to do it. I think we have too big of a picture of ourselves and too small a picture of God. [00:14:06] I'd like to look at the smallness of man. We looked at the glory of God, the smallness of man. Psalms 8, 3 and 4 gives us a little bit of a picture of what man really amounts to. Psalms 8, 3 and 4 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, [00:14:43] what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him? We think about the work of the heavens being the work of God's fingers. God talks about using his hand, he talks about using his strong right arm And yet the works of the heavens, the heavens are the work of his fingers We read where he meets the waters in his hand, he measures the oceans with his hands [00:15:15] It's just unfathomable the difference between us and God And then I'd like to turn to 1 Peter 1 And I don't know what you are facing this morning What trials you might have Or what's going on in your life that's hard to understand But I'd like to read 1 Peter 1, 1 through 9. [00:15:50] It just kind of gives us a little bit of an explanation or a reason to look forward and to not take our eyes off the prize. 1 Peter 1, 1 through 9. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadacia, Asia, and Bithynia Be elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ [00:16:20] Grace unto you and peace be multiplied Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time wherein ye greatly rejoice [00:16:51] though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations and that word temptations isn't just the same as That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love. In whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice, with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. [00:17:35] Verse 9, receiving the end of your faith, receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I'd just like to encourage each one of you, no matter what you're going through, for one thing, there are people that care. If you feel like you're in it alone, share with somebody. Get people to pray with you, support you, help you. And also, try to keep in perspective the difference between us and God. [00:18:10] God's purposes are way higher than ours He does abundantly more than we ask or think And if we can just keep that in perspective Keep the faith that God really is working for our good For the benefit of us I believe it can make it easier to go through things God without man is still God Man without God is nothing Let's stand for prayer Lord, I thank you that we can know you as our personal friend, as a God of love, as a God that cares for us, [00:18:58] and yet know that you are also the omnipotent God, the ruler of the universe. We just thank you, Lord, that you are so big and yet so personal. We pray, Lord, that you would help each one here today. I pray that you would help us all to be able to keep a proper perspective of you and of whatever we're facing, Lord. I just pray that you would give us grace and strength for days ahead. Help us, Lord, be faithful, to be looking for your return, to follow hard after you. [00:19:33] I just pray for anyone here that's struggling, Lord. I just pray that you would just be near to them. We lift them to you. I pray for your grace and strength. I pray you'd help us all, Lord, to be jewels in your crown. Thank you, Lord, for all you do. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.