Not Unto Us

(Go To Meeting)

Eduardo Elizondo—April 14, 2023

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This message is based on the first three words in:

Psalm 115:1: "Not unto us…"

It's very important what we're going to read in this Psalm. We're not going to spend a lot of time here, but those three words and the meaning of the first three verses tell us a lot about the Plan of God and our calling and who we are in God.

"…O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory for Your mercy and for Your Truth's sake" (v 1).

It is amazing when we think about this perspective and try to understand the Scriptures from this perspective, that it is not unto us, the glory is not for ourselves, it is not to ourselves, it's not to give glory to ourselves and our name!

The process of conversion, life itself, was given to us by God because of His love. It's not for our glory! It is not because of anything that we have ever done. We know that! We know our calling is because of the grace of God, because He had mercy on us!

Today I would like to study what the Bible talks about

• giving glory to God
• giving glory to the name of God
• giving glory for His mercy
• giving glory for His Truth's sake

What does this mean? The Bible talks about giving the glory to God, and not unto us!

Many times, and this is something that throughout our history in the Church of God, we have not necessarily understood this to the extent that we probably should. We need to understand that the glory is not unto us, that the reason we are here, the reason we have been called is for the glory of God!

That's what this Psalm is saying, that we are not to give the glory to ourselves; that we are not to puff ourselves up! We're coming out of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and we learned a lot of lessons. We heard a lot of messages and a lot of nourishment regarding Who God is and the miracles, especially in the last message by Fred where he was talking about the miracles that God did for the people of Israel.

As we go through this message, we'll remember some of those Scriptures in Exodus, and remember some of those things.

But it's all in the context of "…not unto us, but unto Your name give glory…" This is the reason "…for Your mercy and for Your Truth's sake." It's for the sake of God, for the sake of His mercy and His precious Truth! That's the reason:

• we are here
• God has a plan
• Why God the Father and Jesus Christ—the Two Jehovahs—had an agreement before the foundation of the world

It's all for Their glory! For Their Truth!

Verse 2: "Why should the nations say, 'Where now is their God?'"

Sometimes people ask that question. Where is God when they're in trouble, or they see their carnality and failures, because we do have failures, shortcomings and a lot things that we have to still endure and overcome! But the reality is that we have to remember that we are God's creation and it's all to His glory!

Verse 3: "Our God is in the heavens; He has done whatever He has pleased." That is:

• for His glory
• for His mercy
• for His Truth's sake

That's why the glory does not belong to us; there is nothing we haven't received, and we know and have heard many times, as the Apostle Paul said.

But today we're going to talk about the glory of God, and giving glory to God, because that is the pinnacle of potential: to give full glory to God! Not of ourselves! We understand that it has to come from Him, but is glory to Him and by Him.

We have to study some of these things to understand what it means not unto us!

In the very introduction, Paul saying in his opening, his salutation:

Galatians 1:3: "Grace and peace be to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ."

We're going to read some of these Scriptures and remember not unto us, but in Your name give glory! How important it is to give God the glory in everything and for everything!

Verse 4: "Who gave Himself for our sins, in order that He might deliver us from the present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father."

We just read that! He has done whatever He has pleased to do. What is the answer to 'Where is your God' when the nations ask that? God is in heaven and has done whatever He has pleased! There is nothing that is out of His control.

As we saw with the parting of the Red Sea and everything that He did for Israel, it's for His glory! We're going to read about that a little bit later.

But it says something here very tremendous: "Who gave Himself for our sins…"—talking about our Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul is saying, "Grace and peace be to you from… [both] …God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ….Who gave Himself for our sins." And the purpose was so "…He might deliver us from the present evil world…"—to rescue us!

We went over that at Passover. That's what He did, He passed over us and we are not subject to eternal death, because of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God!

"…according to the will of our God and Father, to Whom be the glory into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 4-5).

These verses tell us so much, and that's the reason why it's not unto us! Why it is unto Him be the glory, because He did this! He planned all of this before the foundation of the earth. He gave Himself for our sins. Jesus Christ did that because it was the will of our Lord and God the Father!

That's what it says in v 4, and then Paul really sums it up in v 5: "…to Whom be the glory into the ages of eternity."

• all the glory to God
• all the glory to God the Father and to His Son Jesus Christ
• to Them belongs all the glory

There are a lot of verses that talk about the glory of God, and to Him belongs all the glory—God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ! That's why it's not unto us! There are a lot of lessons that we have to take from these verses to understand and really live and act in that way.

1-Pet. 5—this is at the end of the epistle, but this message is really all encompassing, whether this message is at the beginning or the end. It's the same message because it's the same Law and same Spirit inspiring these words.

1-Peter 5:10: "Now, may the God of all grace, Who has called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus…"

We just saw grace and peace be to you! So for us to understand the Scripture, it's saying that the only glory we have is His glory! We have a little bit of it! We're going read more about what that is. But it says that He "…has called us unto His eternal glory…"

We can view that from a couple of perspectives. From the glory of God, because the purpose of our lives is to become born of the Spirit, children born into the Kingdom of God the Father and Jesus Christ and be in His glory. This is the purpose; we're called to be in His presence forever! It is into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus.

"…after you have suffered a little while… [that's important; that's why we suffer] …Himself… [the God of all grace] …perfect you, establish, strengthen, and settle you." (v10).

The ultimate of all of that is going to be at the resurrection! But right now we are still suffering a little while, because this life is just a little while in comparison to all eternity it's almost nothing! This is the God of all grace and the reason that He called us is to His eternal glory.

Verse 11: "To Him be the glory… [not unto us] …and the power into the ages of eternity. Amen."

We are to give all the glory to God in everything! All the honor, all the glory, all the praise is God's! That's one lesson that He wants us to really understand and really know! Really live by that, being conscious of that every minute of every hour of every day!

• to give thanks to Them
• to understand that there's nothing we haven't received
• to understand that we are the object of Their love
• to understand that we are the creation, being created in His image, according to His own likeness

We are already in His image, but we're not in His likeness, but we're not like God! That's the whole character development process! But we have to remember this foundational thing: not unto us!

• it's not unto us
• the glory is not unto us
• the honor is not unto us

It's all to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ!

Even Jesus Christ Himself gives the glory to the Father, as well! When He was on the earth, He said, 'My Father is greater than I.' That's why all the apostles wrote this way. They understood this! 'It's to Him, the God of all grace' Whom we know is the Father, because He called us in Christ Jesus, His Son!

Verse 11: "To Him… [the Father] … be the glory and the power into the ages of eternity. Amen."

That's the way it's going to be; that's why the Amen there!

In Isaiah we're going to see some very interesting things, talking to Israel/Jacob, but it applies to us, as well, and there are some very important lessons for us to understand and remember. This life is not for ourselves! It's not to do our will \ and our pleasure, to get honor, glory and enjoyment. Yes, there's going to be some enjoyment and good times. Obviously, God is good and He's loving and He wants us to enjoy life, His goodness, not exclusively, because we're going to have trials, tests and be challenged.

He wants that, too, because He's a loving Father. He knows and understands that we need everything. We need complete training. Honestly, it feels like it's harder to stay close to God when we're in abundance; when things are going well! It's even more of a challenge:

• to stay close to God
• to give Him the glory
• to give Him the honor
• to think of Him
• to pray without ceasing

When we're in trials it's easy to do that! Let's read this in understanding the mind of God and what He says:

Isaiah 43:4: "Since you are precious in My sight… [this the LORD speaking] …you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore, I will give men for you, and people for your life." That's exactly what He did with Israel!

• He destroyed all of Egypt!
• He destroyed all the army in the bottom of the sea!
• He destroyed the entire country, basically, with all the ten plagues!
• He killed all the first born!

He did that! He gave men for Israel and people for their life. Not that those people aren't precious; they are and God will give them an opportunity in the second resurrection.

But this is the love that God had for them, and this is the love that God has for us, too. He also has given people for our lives. There are many called, but few are chosen! If He's doing that, and that we know and understand the people are going to have their opportunity.

And it says, "…you have been honored…" but it's not unto us! We have to understand that.

Verse 5: "Fear not, for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the East, and gather you from the West."

This is a prophecy of physical Israel; He will gather them from the East and from the West. He will also gather His elect from 'the four corners of the earth,' as well.

Verse 6: "I will say to the North, 'Give up'; and to the South, 'Do not keep back'… [again the four corners of the earth] …bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth."

He calls Israel His children, His sons and daughter, but this applies to us, as well. We know in 1-John it says that we are the children of God now and we have the seed of begettal! We have that seed! God loves all of His people. He will call us from the four corners of the earth, from everywhere, from the ends of the earth as it says here.

Verse 7: "Even everyone who is called by My name… [we are the Church of God and are called by His name] …for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.'

He has created us for His glory, not unto us, but for His glory! That's the reason He has created us. That is something that we have to internalize. Meditate and think about that:

• everything we go through
• everything we receive
• everything that He is changing us

is to His glory, for His name and to His Son!

We know that it glory of the Father and of His Son! He says very specifically that we know that it was the will of God the Father to create everything, and He did it through His Son Jesus Christ! Nothing was created without Him, we know that. The One Who speaking is the LORD God of the Old Testament and the One Who became Jesus Christ. He said, 'For I have created him for My glory: "…for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."

He made us, and then He came and gave His life! How much love does God have for us? We have to remember that it is for His glory! For the glory of Jesus Christ and for the glory of the Father! That's the reason that He has made us.

Verse 21: "This people that I formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise." That is our purpose! To declare the praise of God!

What are the 24 elders doing before the Throne of God? They sing nonstop! They glorify God all the time! That's what they're doing! That's the pinnacle of what we can do. Praising God is the most important thing that we can do, because it's really fulfilling our destiny! It's really fulfilling our purpose! That's what it says here. "This people that I formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise"—because He is worthy of all the praise and all the honor! Not unto us! But unto His name we will give glory and praise!

Verse 25: "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins."

This is an amazing thing! This is the compassion of God that He blots out our transgressions. This is a verse that can be seen from a multitude of angles. We can think about that He is the One Who blots out our transgression when we go before God the Father, He forgives us because of the blood of His own Son Jesus Christ. He's the One Who was doing the speaking here. He said, "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions…"

We can also see from the angle that He was the Lamb of God Himself, Who blots out our transgression through His blood! Let's remember why; He says for My own sake! That's the reason! The reason is for His glory and His honor. What God the Father and Jesus Christ really want is for all of us to be together and give Them the glory and the praise that They deserve! To be forever with Them in New Jerusalem! That is the vision! That is the plan that They have for us! They want to see us in Their Kingdom forever! To be there in Their Temple!

We see this theme all over the Bible, we just have to have our eyes opened to see it. It is not unto us, but it's to His name:

• for His namesake
• for His glory
• for His Truth's sake

That's what we have to know, understand and study, so that we live this way every day! This is going to change our mindset; this is going to completely turn around our mindset.

• we're not here to save ourselves
• we 're not here just to be glorified

Yes, that will happen, but that is not what is important to us! It has to be glorifying God!

When we are before His presence, it's going to be absolutely incredible, absolutely incredible! We're going to be speechless! His glory and His power—both of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ—that's why we cannot see Them right now, we would die! It's that powerful! And not just powerful, but beautiful and glorious!

Let's remember that everything is for Their sake!That's why it's not unto us!

Isaiah 48:9: "For My name's sake I will put off My anger, and for My praise I will hold it back for your sake, that I do not cut you off."

The one thing He does for our sake is hold back His anger, because He would destroy us. He says, "…I do not cut you off." Sometimes that's what we deserve until we come repenting again on our knees sincerely from the heart asking to be forgiven. Let's see what He does:

Verse 10: "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver…"

It's much more precious than any of that. He wants a heart and mind willingly yielding to Him, praising Him and giving Him the honor and praise that He deserves. It's all about the Father and Jesus Christ. He says:

"…I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction" (v 10).

Why? Because it's the only way to get rid of self. That's the only thing to take out all of that evil human nature, all that law of sin and death, which we know stays with us until the day we die. But to take that carnality and those works of darkness, all of us, to refine us and to change our mind and heart to point them to Him:

• to understand Him
• to know Him
• to pray to Him

That's what They want! That's what Jesus Christ is saying here!

Verse 11: "For My own sake, for My own sake I will do it…"

He says it twice, emphasizing that it's for His sake, not for our sake. We have not business in glorying for ourselves because we are the chosen ones. We have no business in saying that we're so special because we are the Church of God. It's for His sake; we have nothing to glory ourselves in! It says that let the one who glories, let him glory in the LORD, not in ourselves, not unto us!

"…for why should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another" (v 11).

That's what He says, because that is what is just and righteous. That's what He wants! He wants us to glorify Him from the heart every day, and give thanks in everything! It's within human nature to do this:

• to excel
• to want to be praised
• to want to be exalted or looked upon

It's within our nature! We have to fight against it! God knows that; He knows that it's within our nature! He does not want for us to get puffed up; we left the leaven behind! We have gone to through the Feast of Unleavened Bread and we are being deleavened, in that process of getting rid of that leaven that puffs us up. Not unto us, but unto Your name give glory!

Deuteronomy 9:1—Moses speaking: "Hear, O Israel! You are to pass over Jordan today to go in to expel nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fenced up to heaven." He was going to confound the mighty (1-Cor. 1).

Verse 2: "A people great and tall, the sons of the giants, whom you know and have heard it said, 'Who can stand before the sons of Anak!'"

But this time they had already been wandering in the desert and were about to go into the 'promised land.' "…Who can stand before the sons of Anak!" The believed and trusted in themselves rather than God. They trusted in their glory, power and their might, instead of trusting in God!

Verse 3: "Therefore, understand this day that the LORD your God is He Who goes over before you…. [He was the One Who was going in front of them] …Like a consuming fire, He shall destroy them, and He shall bring them down before your face…. [not by your glory and power] …So you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly as the LORD has said to you."

It required obedience! It was a lesson that they had to learn, it was not within themselves. Moses was making it very clear, very evident that it was not them, but it was God Who was going to do it! To remember this lesson he tells them something very important in v 4. Think about this of about ourselves. We have to, each one us, think about this.

Verse 4: "Do not speak in your heart after the LORD your God has cast them out from before you, saying, 'For my righteousness, the LORD has brought me in to possess this land'… [it wasn't about them] …but for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you."

How much puffing up was in the people of Israel, and even now how much puffing up there is:

• because we are the chosen people
• we're persecuted because we're the chosen people
• we're this because we're the chosen people

God is saying, 'That's not the reason. I'm using you as a tool to punish these other nations. That's the reason I'm bringing it and to fulfill the promises.' "…but for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you."

Verse 5: "Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go to possess their land, but for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you, so that He may perform the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Yes, God was going to keep His oath, but not because of their righteousness! Everyone knew, He told them that.

Verse 6: "Therefore, understand that the LORD your God does not give you this good land, to possess it for your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people."

Brethren, we are a stiff-necked people!It's not because of our righteousness. In fact, it's the opposite!

• it's because He saw the weak and base things
• it's because He saw hearts where He could do a work for Himself, for His own glory

• for people who are actually going to listen to Him
• for people who are going to obey Him
• for people who are going to follow His ordinance
  • willingly
  • lovingly
  • joyfully

We have to do that, because we are also a stiff-necked people!

• it's not because of our righteousness
• it's not because of the righteousness of our heart

We cannot be comparing ourselves to the people that have not yet been called, because we are demoted to be servants of them! That's what we are going to be in the Kingdom! Yes, kings and priests, but also servants. That's what true kings do!

• they are servants
• they are most humble
• they are the most unleavened people

That's what it is. Our King of kings is Jesus Christ and He was the most humble! There was nobody like Him. He even gave up His Divinity to come and die for us! We cannot exalt ourselves! As we are walking in the wilderness past the Red Sea, we have to leave the leaven behind!

We cannot be a puffed up Church! We cannot be a puffed up group of people, the called out ones. We have to be sincere and unleavened. We have to stop comparing ourselves to people in the world. We cannot look down on people. We have to remember that God has that compassion on us, and we cannot speak in our heart after the Lord has rescued us from the evil one.

We cannot boast in ourselves, we are to give the glory to God, because He's really the Owner of that glory! He's the Owner of everything! He wants our heart! He wants us to praise Him willingly, from the heart! That's what He wants us to do. He wants us to love Him and for us to get to know Him and love Him! Because when we really get to know Him, there's going to be nothing else we can do but praise Him.

Praise Him! Just like the 24 elders! That's what He wants, and that is our destiny! That's what God desires.

We're going to continue to see this theme of the glory belongs to God, and the things He does for Himself. God the Father and Jesus Christ alone—Elohim—deserves all the glory. Only They deserve the glory, not unto us!

Exo. 12 is when He was giving the ordinance of the Passover and He says the reason why after He gives all the instructions of what they were to do in selecting the lamb. When they were going to kill it and how and all of that, and this is the reason why:

Exodus 12:12: "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD."

He was going to execute judgment against those gods to show that there is no one like Him! There's no one even remotely close to Him! He is the LORD, and the only One worthy of praise and worship! Only Elohim: God the Father and Jesus Christ!

We're going to see remember that it's not unto us! We just renewed that covenant at the Passover that we made with God the Father through the blood of the Lamb. We have done what He commanded us to do on the night of the 14th of the 1st month! We have obeyed the commandment in keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread, eating unleavened bread every day.

He commanded us to do that! But the big lesson is to leave that leaven behind! But it's very hard to be focused on the leaven, because it's so much. Rather than focusing on the leaven, we should focus on He Who called us into His marvelous Light. We have to focus on God the Father and Jesus Christ Who are worthy of all the honor and praise and adoration.

Exodus 14:4: "'And I will harden Pharaoh's heart that he will follow them. And I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, so that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.' And they did so."

That's the reason. The reason is to glorify God. Why did He take them that way? Yes, it says that they would not be afraid when they saw all the other peoples on the other route, which was shorter. But the reason was:

• to show His power in dividing the waters of the sea
• to be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army

Egypt never came back from that defeat! They never again became the nation it once was, because all his army was drowned and his country was decimated with the plagues. But He says, "…I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army…" so the Egyptians would know Who they were dealing with.

That's He was not just like one of their gods, that was just an idol and all these things that they did with their hands. But that they would know that this God is the Eternal, this God is the only one true God! That nobody can stand against Him! Nobody can fight against Him! And He's worthy of all the honor and glory!

Verse 17: "And behold, I am about to harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. And I will get honor for Myself upon Pharaoh, and over all his army, over his chariots and over his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I will be glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen" (vs 17-18).

God wanted to show Who He was to them and to the entire world. Everybody around was afraid. They were afraid of Israel because they heard what has happened in the country of Egypt and the Red Sea. They have heard! But it was all to the glory of God, not to the glory of Israel! That's what He said very clearly! I will be glorified! He doesn't say so they can glorify 'you guys.' No, the glory goes to God! Everything, always!

This was the physical application, and we're going to see the spiritual application of not unto us! It's amazing what God has in His Word when we focus on Him, on God the Father and Jesus Christ, when we walk with Them. When we understand that the reason we exist is to give Them glory. The reason that He harden their hearts was to be glorified in Them, in Their debt. Some people think:

Oh what a mean God. He's glorifying Himself and taking advantage of these poor people who are helpless.

No! God can do whatever He please with whomever He wants. That's what we read in Psa. 115; He's in the heavens and has done whatever He pleases. He gave man life and He can take it away anytime He wants. That is the powerful God we serve!

Rom. 11—this is an amazing thing. This chapter is the whole meditation, a contemplation of what Paul got to:

Romans 11:33: "O the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unfathomable are His judgments and unsearchable are His ways!"

Human beings can think that. How is it that He just wanted to destroy these people, that He hardened Pharaoh's heart? He can do that! It's unfathomable to us. It's unsearchable in a way. But:

• His thoughts are higher than our thoughts
• His ways are higher than our ways

We are no one to question God! If He decided to do that to give Himself glory, He has every right to do what He did, to give glory to Himself. He knows He's going to give an opportunity to most of those people. But it's the depth of His wisdom and knowledge! It says:

• Who knows the mind of the Lord?
• Who became His counselor?
• Who fears Him, and it shall become recompense to Him again?

Sometimes that's what we do! That's what humans in general do! They give themselves the honor and glory and credit as if we can do something for God that He doesn't already have. But Paul tells us who God is:

Verse 34: "For who did know the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who first gave to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? For from Him, and through Him, and unto Him are all things; to Him be the glory into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 34-36).

Psalm 115:1: "…not unto us, but unto Your name give glory for Your mercy and for Your Truth's sake."

Paul is explaining here that everything comes from Him! Everything is through Him. He did it! He created us; He created Adam with His own hands from the dust of the earth!

It's through Him and His sacrifice, His shed blood, we can have eternal life. So, it has to be through Him, from Him, everything came from Him. It's through Him because He created us, gave His life and unto Him because we're going to Him! That's the example that He set when He said, 'I am going to You,' when He was praying to the Father (John 17). He said, 'I'm going to Him and unto Him are all things! To Him be the glory, because that's the purpose. The purpose is to glorify God in everything! That is the purpose of our existence, of the entire world's existence, to ultimately give glory, honor and praise to God forever and ever!

Were going to read a Psalm of David who understood this. He understood this to a level that few others have understood. He understood what it was all about. He wrote about it:

Psalm 34:1: "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall always be in my mouth."

He knew that was his purpose! He knew that:

• the reason that he existed
• the reason that God called Him
• the reason that God fought the battles for him with the:
• bear
• lion
• Goliath

The reason that He did all that is so that David would praise God! He knew that that was the reason that he followed the Light in the first place, because he was blaspheming. David says that His praise shall always be in my mouth.

Verse 2: "My soul shall make its boast in the LORD… [not unto us, but to Your name give glory] …the humble shall hear and be glad."

Be glad because there's nothing better in this life than praising our God, nothing! And Paul gives an initiation:

Verse 3: "O magnify the LORD with me…"

Brethren, I invite you that you will magnify the LORD with me, as well; that we will all do it together:

• with our conduct
• with our thoughts
• with our prayers
• with our singing

Singing praises unto God! That's what we are to do. That's our purpose, that's what He wants us to do. That's why you were created, to praise God eternally!

"…and let us exalt His name together" (v 3).

We'll exalt His name forever and ever. That's the promise in Rev. 3—to the one who overcomes when Christ is talking to Philadelphia! That's a promise! I will make him a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he shall never go out! You're going to be in the Temple, the Temple of God the Father! To do what? To exalt His name together forever and ever!

Verse 4: "I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears."
Why? Because:

• we're not focused on our fears
• we're not focused on ourselves
• we're not puffed up with leaven
• we're looking to God
• we're looking to praise Him
• we're looking to honor and glorify Him

Because the trials and tribulations that we suffer, He brings us through to change us and also to give glory to Himself, to deliver us. The deliverance! In the process of conversion there is glory for God! That's what He wants. Not unto us!

That's one of the things that we have to continue to change in the Church! To not look at anybody else, but look to God!

Growing up I've heard many times, 'Oh, the poor people in the world.' We're not to do that! We're to humble ourselves before God and to glorify Him and pray for all of our brethren, and for the world that His will will be done! That's why it says 'on earth as in heaven.' It doesn't say just 'in my life and the Church.' But that 'it will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'

Verse 5: "They looked to Him and were radiant…"—because He is power and beauty and glory!

We can see and understand that. We can look forward to that. Right now we cannot do that physically, but spiritually we can bask in His glory and understand more things. We can be radiant in our heart and mind.

"…and their faces were not ashamed" (v 5).

Maybe this was a prophecy of the Transfiguration, I don't know. They looked at Him and they were radiant, "…and their faces were not ashamed" when they look to Him. They never forgot that moment! That's what God wants!

Psa. 67 is an amazing Psalm. It's short, but very deep. It's a song; we know that the Psalms are really songs. This is to be sung with string instruments.

Psalm 67:1: "May God be gracious to us, and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. Selah."

That's what we just read, think about this and meditate on this; meditate upon His face, His glory! Make His face shine upon us, we are asking when we understand His glory and we want to praise Him. When we fulfill our purpose then we will understand the reason way.

Verse 2: "So that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations."

We're nothing but instruments for Him to be glorified. Not only by us, but by the entire world, eventually. That's what God wants. He says that!

Verse 3: "Let the people praise You, O God; let all the people praise You."

That's all, not just the ones in the Church of God,  not just those in 'my' organization. No! "…let all the people praise You"—in Spirit and in Truth obviously! That's the way that we are to worship the Father. That's what Jesus said in John 4, that we are to worship Him Spirit and in Truth, and this is what it is. "…let all the people praise You."

That's the reason why Israel was chosen, so that His way would be known on the earth. And that's the reason we have been chosen, as well. That's the ultimate!

Verse 4: "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy…"

It will happen; it will happen! In the Millennium it will happen and it will happen in New Jerusalem! They will sing for joy for knowing God and seeing Him, glorifying Him!

"…for You shall judge the people righteously and govern the nations upon earth. Selah." Think about that! Think about the Government of God with:

• peace
• mercy
• righteousness
• justice
• compassion
• forgiveness

Think about that in the Millennium! And eventually with glory and perfection!

Verse 5: "Let the people praise You, O God; let all the people praise You." David says it again!

All the people! That's what we are all to do all the time!

Verse 6: "The earth shall yield its increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him" (vs 6-7).

When they see the goodness of God, when they get know Him and obey Him! That's when they shall all fear Him in reverence, awe, humility and unleavened. This is what we have just gone through, and this is the lesson that we know and understand why we were made. This is the purpose of God: that all the people will praise Him and give Him glory, His sons and daughters born of the Spirit into His Kingdom ultimately. This is what God wants!

David really understood this; Psalm 9:1: "I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart…"

That's the way we are praise God, not with half of our heart, not with a façade, not for convenience so that He gives us something. But "…with my whole heart…" with everything within our being.

"…I will tell of all Your marvelous works" (v 1).

It is amazing everything that He has done from the very beginning of creation until now, and His Plan continues. David is prophesying, "…I will tell of all Your marvelous works." That's probably what he will be doing, being king over all Israel in the Millennium! He is going to tell of all God's marvelous works! Can you imagine? King David will tell the story of Goliath, tell us again. That's going to be wonderful!

Verse 2: "I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." To both God the Father and Jesus Christ!

Verse 5: "You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever."

That's a prophecy of Jesus; that's what's going to happen! But David is telling us as though it has already happened, because he's meditating on Him.

Verse 11: "Sing praises to the LORD, Who dwells in Zion; declare among the nations His deeds."

Everything that He has done; it's full of majesty, full of glory!

Verse 12: "For He Who avenges blood remembers them; He forgets not the cry of the humble."

The ones who submit themselves to Him! It's amazing! When he talks about praise, remember not unto us! Remember that this is what it's all about! Don't look at it as something on the side:

Well, it's my conversion, my obedience, my life, and my process of change! And here's this grace thing on the side

NO! We have to reverse that! The whole reason we're here is:

• to praise Him
• to praise Him
• to be part of His Kingdom
• to be part of His glory with Him

It's not for us, but to give glory to Him so that He may be exalted, and look what God has done with this people! Look what they were, and look where they are now! That's going to be unbelievable, the transformation!

Psalm 57:5: "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth."

See how many times David was thinking about God. His mind was on God, on the Kingdom, on His God all the time for His glory. Everything he did was focused and centered on that glory and honor! That's why he was a man after God's own heart!

Verse 8: "Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I myself will awake the dawn…. [can't wait until the sun comes out to praise You again] …I will praise You, O LORD, among the people; I will sing of You among the nations" (vs 8-9). He will do that! He's the master psalmist!

• Can you imagine what that's going to be like?
• Can you imagine the best concerts have nothing on David?

"…I will sing of You among the nations."

Verse 10: "For Your steadfast mercy is great even unto the heavens and Your Truth to the clouds…. [that's the God we serve] …Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be above all the earth" (vs 10-11).

That's what God wants! It's not just glory for Himself! He deserves it, He's the most humble because of what They both have done: God the Father and Jesus Christ.

• this is what we have to look forward to
• this is what we have to focus on
• this is the reason we exist

To give Him the glory! To be transformed, like He will ultimately get all the credit, honor and praise forever!

Read these Psalms on your own. We probably are not going to do justice to what is in here. It's amazing that this is the end of the entire matter. This is the end of the entire book of Psalms, but it's the end of the Plan of God! The ultimate end of the Plan of God in New Jerusalem and the New Heavens and the New Earth. This is what's going to happen, and we have to be doing now. We have to start now because we are already His children! Just begotten, but we are already His children.

Psalm 148:1: "O praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts…. [they do, and we will] …Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light" (vs 1-3).

We will be commanding, as well as the angels and the sun and moon, but He has to start with us. We are also created for His glory!

Verse 4: "Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He commanded and they were created" (vs 4-5).

That's what we were talking about! That's the reason He deserves all the praise! Because out of His good heart, His love, He created us and everything that exists! For us and for Them, for Themselves. Again, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory!

Verse 6: "He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree, which shall not pass away."

His Laws shall not pass away, not one jot or tittle of the Law will pass away.

Verse 7: "Let praise be to the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters, and all the depths; fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy winds fulfilling His Word, mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars… [think about the picture that David is painting] …beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds, kings of the earth and all people… [What are we going to be? Kings and priests, but we have to praise Him now!] …princes and all judges of the earth… [that's what we're going to be doing, judging] …both young men and maidens, old men and children" (vs 7-12).

It's a command to praise Him now!

Verse 13: "Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted… [not unto us] …His glory is above the earth and the heavens."

Verse 14: "And He has also lifted up a horn for His people… [representative of government] …praise for all His saints… [not unto us; He will give it so that it can come back around to Him] …even of the children of Israel, a people near to Him…. [we are near to Him…] …O praise the LORD!"

• He loves us
• He loves hearing from us in our prayers
• He loves when we sing from the heart
• He loves when we just meditate on Him

"…a people near to Him O praise the LORD!" That's what He likes the most!

• to praise Him from the heart
• to praise Him in Spirit and in Truth

Sometimes we think about praise, and in the past we tend to minimize it as people in other churches or mainstream Christianity.

God wants our praise from the heart!Just because some other churches don't know the Truth do it, that doesn't mean that we're not to do it. That's doesn't mean that.

We have to praise Him with all our heart, with everything that we have. In obedience, of course, and in Truth, but in Spirit as well and in song! There's nothing wrong with that. Praising Him with our songs, lifting up our hands to Him, like it says in the Bible. That's Biblical, brethren! We are to do that.

Psalm 149:1: "O praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints." Right here with all of us! Sing His praise in the congregation of saints!

Verse 2: "Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; let the children of Zion… [we are the children of Sion, spiritually, the Sion from above] …be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the drum and lyre, for the LORD takes pleasure in His people… [He loves us more than we understand or comprehend] …He crowns the meek with salvation" (vs 2-4)—because of His love!

• for His honor
• for His glory

Verse 5: "Let the saints be joyful in glory… [and for God] …let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand… [with the Bible in their hand] …to execute vengeance upon the nations and punishments upon the people" (vs 5-7).

That's what's going to happen! That's why it's prophesied that the saints come with Him, behind Him from the Sea of Glass riding white horses. That's what the Bible says.

Verse 8: "To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with iron bands, to carryout the judgment written…" (vs 8-9).

We can look forward to that! This is the Feast of Trumpets,

"…—this honor have all His saints. O praise the LORD!" (v 9)—not unto us!

Think about all the words in this Psalm 150 and meditate and rejoice in praising God, our Loving Father and His Son Jesus Christ:

• for how humble They are
• for how strong They are
• for how glorious They are
• for how powerful They are

Psalm 150:1: "O praise the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary… [we'll be there in His sanctuary] …praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts…" (vs 1-2).

For the whole creation and especially the transformation of bringing His children from a speck of dust to a son/daughter of God!

"…praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the ram's horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre. Praise Him with the drum and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipes. Praise Him on the loud cymbals; praise Him with the resounding cymbals" (vs 2-5).

He's worthy of all honor, all glory and all praise!

Verse 6: "Let everything that breathes praise the LORD. O praise the LORD!"

Scriptural References:

• Psalm 115:1-3
• Galatians 1:3-5
• 1 Peter 5:10-11
• Isaiah 43:4-7, 21, 25
• Isaiah 48:9-11
• Deuteronomy 9:1-6
• Exodus 12:12
• Exodus 14:4, 17-18
• Romans 11:33-36
• Psalm 115:1
• Psalm 34;1-5
• Psalm 67:1-7
• Psalm 9:1-2, 5, 11-12
• Psalm 57:5, 8-11
• Psalm 148:1-14
• Psalm 149:1-9
• Psalm 150:1-6

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 1 John
• 1 Corinthians 1
• John 17
• Revelation 3
• John 4

EE:bo
Transcribed: 5/4/23

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