Have you ever considered the weight of the words we use in our christian language? How would you define Glory? Joy? Do we consider the power of our words before we speak? What about in our worship? Do we understand what we proclaim in song and praise? Do these words and their meanings stir our hearts as we meditate on them? Join Riah and Pastor Stevie as they dig into scripture to dissect our ‘Christianeeze in Episode 19 on the Grace Raised Podcast.
On Episode 19 of the Grace Raised Podcast, we dove head first into scripture and came up with many passages that helped us better understand the biblical definitions of the words Glory and Joy. There were too many passages to outline in the episode, so we wanted to collaborate and share these beautiful passages and some links to helpful resources we discovered in our own personal research.
It is helpful in our pursuit of 'knowing God' to look deeper into the spiritual weight of the words that describe His character and what He calls us as His children. How can we walk in the fullness of His spirit if we do not seek to know Him and understand His unique character and defining qualities?
Dr. Jeremy Pierre with Table Talk
“True joy is the response of delight to what God delights in. It requires a person’s heart to be tuned to the right values; specifically, those things God finds valuable. Scripture is in large part the testimony of God’s delight, displaying in vivid hues what God considers beautiful and true. As Christians trust His Word by the power of the Holy Spirit, their hearts are tuned for joy in the right things. This heart transformation is the necessary condition of true joy; this is what Scripture means when it describes joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22), a gift granted by God (Rom. 15:13), and a guaranteed outcome of a Christian continuing in the faith (Jude 24).”
Link to read the rest of the article:
Verses on Glory | Paraphrase | What it means |
Romans 8:18-21 | Suffering is not even comparable to God's Glory | Suffering is nothing compared to the Glory of God |
2 Corinthians 4:17 | Suffering is momentary, preparing us for the weight of Glory | The Glory of God is worth suffering for and is weighty |
1 Corinthians 10:31 | In everything we do, do it for the Glory of God | It is something we do to show honor and worship through our actions |
Romans 5:2-5 | We rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God | It is something to look forward to, that we have not yet beheld |
Romans 3:23 | For all have fallen short of the Glory of God | Our sin separates us from the Glory of God |
Psalm 19:1 | The heavens declare the Glory of God | Heaven and creation worship God's glory |
2 Corinthians 3:9-18 | The veil is removed through Christ and now we can behold the Glory of God | We have access to the Glory of God through Jesus |
2 Corinthians 4:6 | Jesus gives us the light of knowledge of the Glory of God | There is an exclusive Glory that belongs to God given revealed to us through Jesus |
Isaiah 43:7 | Everyone who is called by God's name was created for God's Glory | As children adopted we are heirs and share the name of God-being created for God's Glory |
Exodus 34:29-34 | Moses when speaking to God had to wear a veil to hide his face because his face shone after speaking with God. | God's manifest Glory leaves a mark on us |
Revelation 4:11 | Worthy is God to receive all honor and Glory | To receive Glory means that we give it through worship |
1 Corinthians 6:20 | Glorify God with your body | We show God's Glory with how we live |
Romans 8:21 | Creation will be set free and obtain the Glory of the Children of God | Children of God obtain Glory as a member of God's family |
1 Peter 1:6-9 | We rejoice and persevere knowing that the trials prepare us for the joy and glory we have in Christ | We have joy and hope in the Glory that awaits us in God's presence after we have suffered for a while |
John Piper writes a brilliant article Seven Sources of Joy
"If we are not yet like Paul when he says, “I am overflowing with joy,” he calls us to be. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And for most of us this is a call to earnest prayer. Because a life of joy in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural life."
Joy is spiritual manifestation of our hope in Christ, our understanding of the Gospel, and the result of indwelling with the spirit of God. It is a spiritual happiness that not dependent on the circumstances of the flesh. Depression, grief, sufferings and trials cannot steal our Joy because it is ingrained in our Spirit which is not defined by our flesh. It is a supernatural thing to be adorned in joy while our bodies fight the depth of depression. It is in this that the same lips can say, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?...light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. (psalm 13)" and then also proclaim "In Your presence there is fullness of joy. (psalm 16:11)".
To understand Joy is to encounter the one who is the Giver of joy. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13). The same joy being the joy that empowered Jesus to endure the cross (Hebrews 12:2) is given to us by the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We abound in hope and fullness of joy as we walk in the power of the spirit into the inheritance that we have as Children of God; once separated from His glory now, able to endure all suffering and trials for the weight of the Glory of God before us.
It is because of this that we pour ourselves into knowing Him. We study His word and though we may be uneducated and foolish, He will yet unveil our eyes and reveal the great mysteries of His Glory!
-Riah
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