We’ve been talking all week about ways in which God expects us to glorify Him. There is a final way in this life – it’s in our death.

John 21 is the passage in which Jesus appeared, after His resurrection, to the disciples on the shore. It’s the one where Jesus kept asking Peter “Do you love me?” Finally Jesus says to Peter, “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." And then the clincher verse, John 21:19.   

“Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.”

God already knows the day of your death. He already knows how you will die. He has already planned your final opportunity to glorify Him on this earth.

Death is that final opportunity to glorify God in this life. I observed this vividly in the death of my mother-in-law – a godly woman who at age 85 was told of the cancer that filled her body. I was there. I saw her reaction. Through her tears she gently cried, “Why God? Why me? I’ve served you all my life.” Then, as though realizing that her death was one final means of glorifying God, she stopped crying and said to all of us present including a skeptical doctor, “God knows why and that makes it OK.” 

Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary, “The death of the martyrs was in a special manner for the glorifying of God. Precious therefore in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints, as that which honors him; and those who thereby at such an expense honor him he will honor.”

Although my mother-in-law was not a martyr she used her death as a final opportunity to bring glory to God and I will never forget that lesson – - to my dying day.

Paul wrote in Philippians 1:20, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” Death is our final opportunity on this earth to let the character and nature of God be “seen”. How will you act? How will I act and what will see say?

By glorifying God now in all the ways we’ve talked about you’ll be ready for the final opportunity.

God’s glory is the display of His divine character and qualities – God’s characterand qualities displayed in such a way that people can see them. God’s glory is simply God’s character and qualities “seen”.

The Bible says that we can glorify God when we think, say or do something that allows His character and qualities to be seen. According to Romans 4:18-21,God is glorified when we believe Him.

 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

When we are fully persuaded that God has the power to do what He promised in our lives, we reveal His character through our words and actions of belief.

John, in chapter 10 of his Gospel tells the account of Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead. When it comes to the part where Jesus says to remove the grave stone and let the dead man out, Martha objects. “He’s dead!” Jesus’ response (John 11:40) is, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

Finally, in John 14, Jesus talks to His disciples about His going away. It sounded pretty permanent to them. They were a bit dismayed and confused. Would they never see Him again? In John 14:21 He says, “Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the one who loves me. I too will love him. And I will show myself to him."

Believe Him today and watch for His glory to appear.

Do you know your spiritual gift? Some people say that they really don’t need to know their gift. Well, maybe not. Then, let me ask you this? Are you using your spiritual gift? But you say, “How do I know if I’m using it if I don’t know what it is?” Ah, so maybe you should know what it is so you know whether or not you’re using it. OK, what am I getting at? Remember, this week’s topic is glorifying God. There are several ways to do that and one of them is to use your spiritual gift. The gifts can be organized into two categories. In fact Peter did that for us in his first letter. He wrote in 1 Peter 4:11,

“If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

God has given us spiritual gifts to bring glory to Himself. So, we can’t say, “I don’t know what mine is,” as though we don’t care nor can we say “I don’t have a spiritual gift.” If you are a believer in Jesus, you have at least one and you must use it for its intended purpose – to glorify God. That means that through the exercise of your giftedness others will see the glory of God – that is His character and nature. So ask God to help you understand and effectively use your spiritual gift this week.

In John 17:4 Jesus prayed, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” What was the work the Father gave to Jesus? He was to bear the sins of the world and provide redemption for all who believe in Him.

What work has God given you to do? - as a husband, father, neighbor, encourager, employee, student, deacon, elder etc. Keep doing it. Finish it. Don’t grow weary in well-doing.

Some work is temporary such as an usher at church.  Some is not – “Til death do us part.” When is our work done? When it gets tough? No. Otherwise Jesus would have called it quits before the cross. Even as Jesus prayed this prayer He had not yet gone to the cross where He would actually finish the work God gave Him to do. However, in His mind, it was as good as done. He would go all the way. He was determined to finish it. That’s the attitude we need. It’s a mindset. It’s saying, no matter what the circumstances and within God’s will, “I will finish it.” This brings glory to God because in doing so you’re placing God’s will and ways over yours.

These amazing words of the Apostle Paul are recorded in Acts 20:22-24 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”

Let’s finish the race. Let’s help each other. Let’s cheer each other on.

Several weeks ago I started a series on the Glory of God. I defined God’s glory as the display of His divine character and qualities – God’s character and qualities displayed in such a way that people can see it. God’s glory is simply God’s character and qualities “seen”.
  
This week is a continuation the series. Earlier we concluded that we can glorify God by making His glory seen in our lives through what we say, do and think. Last time we looked at five ways we can glorify God. We’ll look at five more this week. Here’s number six.

We glorify God by bearing fruit.

Philippians 1:11 says we are to be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes  through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

John 15:8  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

This fruit is not the result of mere human effort. It’s the outflow of God from within us, thus bringing glory to God. The fruit is from Him and by Him. Fruit of righteousness – let’s picture it this way.

Righteousness is the tree and good works are the fruit. The fruit comes from a righteous source. The fruit only glorifies God when it comes from Him through you. The unbeliever may display a good deed, but it comes from an unrighteous source and brings no glory to God. It’s not merely the action that glorifies God but the outworking of His righteousness from within the believer.

The fruit is singular. This suggests lifestyle rather than a single action. An unbeliever may manifest an action that looks like God’s righteousness, but only the believer in Christ can live out the lifestyle of Christ. It’s your lifestyle, developed in union with Christ, that becomes the fruit that others enjoy and that points back to God - the source.

If I said to go and bear fruit this week, it would be like saying to the branches of a fruit tree, “Go bear fruit.” They don’t need to be told nor do they need to try. They just do it because they’re connected to the fruit tree. So simply stay intimately connected to the Righteous Tree this week and watch the fruit sprout all over you.

This week we’ve seen that no matter what our age, it’s not too late to renew your youth through the Bible Proverbs. We’ve looked at the heart, the eyes, the mouth and today the feet as areas for renewal. We’ve seen that “though outwardly we’re wasting away, yet inwardly we’re being renewed day by day.” We can regain our youth. We can live like we’ve never lived before.

Here’s today’s Proverb. (4:26 & 27) “Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” 

Each of us has a story of how we got ourselves into the deep muck of sin. We had to cry out to God for Him to come and pull us out. Maybe it was lust that got us there or selfishness, anger or pride. Oh, how we’d love to rewrite our story and eliminate that experience. However, now that we know what that experience was like and we never want to repeat it, we’ll watch more carefully where our feet lead us.

Ponder the path ahead of you. Think it through carefully before you take it. Consider well what path it is, whether right or wrong, good or bad and where it will ultimately lead you. But like my pastor says, it’s not enough to receive the wisdom of God; you have to do something with it. You have to live it.

In our youth we did things rashly. Now we know more and it’s time to act with steadiness, caution, and consistency. Join me in saying that no more will we be swayed by temptations or by what others do or by what the world offers or by the deceptive pathway. Can you imagine the freedom you and I will feel as we walk God’s path; as we end the old bad habits and, as the Proverbs teach us, let God walk us down a straight path? It is He that will show you the way and it is He that will empower you to succeed and it is He that will renew your youth. Follow Him in the Proverbs and enjoy your new life!

What are you looking at? What habits have your eyes developed over the years? What do you focus on? What do you see? It’s time to redirect our eyes. Let God renew your youth through the eye-gate.

Proverbs 4: 25 reads this way. “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.”

Proverbs 4:23  says, “Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.” (The Message) We can get so distracted by what others have, by the greener grass in our neighbor’s life or by what the Joneses have. 

Here’s Hebrews 12:1&2. “Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Fix your eyes on Jesus.”

Since you’re not 16 years old, you actually have an advantage. You’ve already looked at all the trappings and glitter that life offers and all the get-rich-quick schemes and you know, along with Solomon, the vanity of all of that. Now it’s time to spend the rest of your life focused on Jesus. It’s time to focus on Him for your directions in life, like the quarterback who looks to the sidelines for the next play.
What might you see? You’ll begin to see less of what you think you need and more of what God sees. Here are some examples.

Proverbs 28:7 - “Be generous to the poor—you'll never go hungry; shut your eyes to their needs, and run a gauntlet of curses.” Start looking for the poor in your world and see how the “coach” would have you help them.

Proverbs 25:21 - If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he's thirsty, bring him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”
Have you been stumbling through life trying to make those youthful dreams happen? Open your eyes to wisdom and renew your youth today.

Proverbs 4:24

Following the wisdom of God in the Bible Proverbs will change your life no matter what age you are. It’s never too late to get a fresh start on your life.

Once you start this process of seeking wisdom from God it won’t take long before He begins to focus on your biggest problems. For some Christ-followers “the mouth” is on the top of the list. Proverbs 4:24 says, “Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk from your lips.” If we’re going to renew our youth we need to re-learn how to talk. Certain words may need to be bleached out of our vocabulary. Negativism in our conversations needs to be replaced. Criticism and cutting remarks have no place anymore. Off-colored humor and crude references must disappear. Gossip must go. Where did all these come from anyway? How did we ever drift so far to talk the way we do? It’s time to change. It’s time to renew or maybe redo our mouth. One simple technique that we should have learned many years ago is to simply keep silent. Do you remember the old saying? “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I used to roll my eyes at that when I was young. Now I see the wisdom in it.

King Solomon wrote of that wisdom in Proverbs 17:28.  He said, “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” It always helps to not display your ignorance. Keep it to yourself and people will think you’re wise. While you’re being silent you’ll have time to rethink what you were going to say and let the wisdom of God’s Word and His Spirit teach you what you should say, if anything. Search a concordance for verses from the Bible Proverbs on the tongue or the mouth or speaking, or simply do a “Google” search for what the Bible says about the tongue. Take notes. Ask God to teach you and to renew your youth. Listen to God and live again! 

I remember an old TV public service ad that warned, “It’s 11 o’clock, where are your children?” In the spirit of that ad, let me ask you, It’s getting late in life, where is your heart?

Proverbs 4:23 cautions, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” The heart is the depository of all wisdom and the source of whatever affects life and character.  (See Matthew 12:35; 15:19.) What you are today is a result of what you put in your heart over the years. What have you allowed it to do and where have you allowed it to go? Maybe you’d like to go back and change a few things. Well, you can’t go back, but you can get a fresh start no matter where you are in life because of God’s grace. You still have the rest of your life. Make it the best part.

Yesterday we talked about being young again – about being renewed in the inner man – by going back to the voice of wisdom in the Bible Proverbs and really listening. It’s like having your youth back. Read the Proverbs and ask God to help you understand and apply them. Write down what God shows you. Pray over it. Let it renew your life.

Don’t say “I’m too old for that.” Psalm 103:3 says “He forgives all your sins and renews your youth.” Take Him up on that. Start by guarding your heart. What are you setting it on? Where are you letting it wander? Give it to the Lord God and ask Him to take it for Himself. Seek Him today. He is wisdom. You’ll be pleasantly amazed at what happens to you and how others begin to see the changes.

The Bible book of Proverbs is filled with wise sayings from the very Spirit of God. They are written to guide the young person to a life filled with blessing, and freedom from the sorrow brought on by sinful mistakes. I loved the Proverbs when I was a teenager.

Sometimes I wish I was young again. If only I could re-ignite my wild spirit and the energy and enthusiasm to go with it. I would make those wise Proverbs my daily diet to experience the joy and freedom that wisdom brings.

But I’ve had my youth, and although I found Christ early in my teens and enjoyed a measure of God’s wisdom, I also had many plans and ideas of my own. I knew too much to always listen to the voice of wisdom like I wish I would have. Youth has a hard time listening, doesn’t it?

 My problem was ignoring advice, and not submitting to the discipline of older and wiser people. It wasn’t that I did bad things. I just had a hard time learning to stick with something when it got a little tough. As I look back, I can see now that others tried to help me, but I chose not to be helped. I think I missed a lot of good mentoring by not paying attention.

Proverbs 4:20 says, “my son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Don’t let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.”

Is it too late to listen? Maybe it’s not and maybe it’s not too late to be young again. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Though outwardly we’re wasting away, yet inwardly we’re being renewed day by day.”  Do you think it’s possible to be young again? Why not? The Bible says that although the joints are stiff and the bones creak, the inner man – the “you” that will go on forever – can be young again.  I’m going to try it and I invite you to join me this week as we look again at the Proverbs in the Bible. And this time, maybe I’ll listen more closely. I encourage you to start reading the Proverbs today. Ask God to show you what you missed the first time around.