Embracing God's Glory: The Path to Personal Revival
Summary
In our journey through the series on the glory of the Lord, we have been exploring the depths of God's manifest presence and how it transforms lives, homes, and communities. Today, I want to emphasize the importance of our response to God's glory and the personal revival that it brings.
When we gather in His name, we are not just participating in a routine; we are engaging in a divine appointment where the natural and the spiritual converge. The glory of God, or the "cabod," is a weighty presence that brings honor, abundance, and a profound sense of His majesty. It is in these moments that we must be acutely aware of our posture before the Lord. As we encounter His glory, it is essential to be still, to listen, and to allow Him to work in us without interference.
Reflecting on the audacity of Peter during the transfiguration, we see a man eager to act, to build, to do something in response to the divine encounter. However, God's interruption was clear: "This is my beloved Son... Listen to him." This teaches us that in the presence of God's glory, our best response is often to be silent and attentive.
The glory of God does not blanket the earth uniformly; it descends upon specific places, times, and people who are prepared to receive it. We see this in the scriptures, from Moses on Mount Sinai to the upper room at Pentecost. The common thread in these encounters is a preparedness and a hunger for God's presence.
Personal revival begins with an honest assessment of our hearts. Before the glory of God can be poured out in our midst, we must be willing to confront and address the areas of hurt, bitterness, and unforgiveness in our lives. It is not a quest for perfection but a posture of openness and repentance that invites God's transformative work.
As I shared from my own experience, the journey to personal revival is marked by a willingness to make things right with those we have hurt. It is a process that requires humility and obedience, often leading us to extend forgiveness and seek reconciliation. This is not an easy path, but it is one that God honors with His presence and an increase in glory.
As we move forward, let us be stewards of our hearts, creating an atmosphere where God is attracted and can move freely. Let us embrace the weight of His glory, allowing it to crush anything within us that hinders His work. And let us be diligent in maintaining unity in the Spirit, recognizing that our personal peace with God and others is the fertile ground for revival.
Key Takeaways:
- The glory of God requires a posture of stillness and attentiveness. In the presence of divine majesty, our actions and words must be carefully considered, ensuring they align with God's timing and purposes. The story of Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration reminds us that God's agenda supersedes our own, and our best response is often to listen rather than to speak. [13:12]
- Personal revival is not contingent upon a collective unity of doctrine or practice among believers but is rooted in the individual's heart posture towards God. As we steward our hearts, ensuring that we are at peace with others and have forgiven those who have wronged us, we create the conditions for God to move powerfully in our lives. [22:27]
- The process of personal revival often involves confronting and repenting for the ways we have hurt others. This journey is marked by humility and the willingness to seek reconciliation, which God honors by increasing His glory in our lives. [26:54]
- God's glory is not distributed equally or arbitrarily; it is attracted to those who are prepared and willing to receive it. Our surrender and openness to God's work in our lives determine the measure of glory we experience. [33:36]
- Continuous repentance and humility are essential in a revival movement. We must never cap our spiritual growth or become complacent, believing we have arrived. There is always more of God to experience, and He continually invites us to deeper levels of surrender and sanctification. [44:55]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 17:1-5 (NIV)
> "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!'"
2. Exodus 33:18-23 (NIV)
> "Then Moses said, 'Now show me your glory.' And the Lord said, 'I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,' he said, 'you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.' Then the Lord said, 'There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.'"
3. Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
> "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Peter's initial reaction to the transfiguration of Jesus, and how did God respond to him? ([09:43])
2. In the sermon, what does the pastor describe as the meaning of the Hebrew word "cabod"? ([04:30])
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of being still and silent in the presence of God's glory? ([13:12])
4. How does the pastor describe the process of personal revival and its connection to humility and reconciliation? ([26:54])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Peter wanted to build shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah during the transfiguration? What does this reveal about his understanding of the moment? ([09:43])
2. How does the concept of "cabod" as a weighty presence relate to the experiences of Moses on Mount Sinai and the disciples at Pentecost? ([06:05])
3. What does the pastor mean when he says that God's glory is not distributed equally or arbitrarily? How does this idea challenge or affirm your understanding of God's presence? ([06:48])
4. Reflecting on the pastor's personal story, why is it important to seek reconciliation and forgiveness as part of personal revival? ([26:54])
#### Application Questions
1. In moments of divine encounter, how can you practice being still and attentive rather than rushing to action or words? ([13:12])
2. Are there areas in your life where you need to seek forgiveness or offer reconciliation? What steps can you take this week to address these areas? ([26:54])
3. How can you create an atmosphere in your home or community that is prepared to receive God's glory? What practical changes can you make to foster this environment? ([06:48])
4. Think about a time when you felt God's presence in a powerful way. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience about God's timing and purposes? ([13:12])
5. The pastor mentioned that personal revival begins with an honest assessment of our hearts. What specific areas of hurt, bitterness, or unforgiveness do you need to confront in your life? ([19:01])
6. How can you maintain a posture of continuous repentance and humility in your spiritual journey? What practices or habits can help you stay open to God's transformative work? ([44:55])
7. Reflect on the pastor's story about making things right with those he had hurt. Is there someone you need to reach out to for reconciliation? How can you approach this conversation with humility and sincerity? ([26:54])
Devotional
Day 1: Attentiveness in Divine Majesty
In the presence of God's glory, there is a sacred call to stillness and attentiveness. This is not a passive state but an active posture of the heart, ready to receive and respond to the divine. It is a time to be silent, to listen, and to be transformed by the weighty presence of God's majesty. The story of Peter at the Transfiguration serves as a powerful reminder that, in the face of the divine, human plans and agendas must yield to God's greater purpose. It is in the quietness of our souls that we can truly hear and understand what the Spirit is saying to us, aligning our actions and words with God's timing and purposes. [13:12]
"And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light." (Matthew 17:1-2 ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a practice of stillness in your daily life to become more attentive to God's presence and voice?
Day 2: The Heart's Posture for Revival
Personal revival begins in the quiet chambers of the heart, where one's posture towards God is one of openness, repentance, and a readiness to forgive. This is not about adhering to a uniform doctrine or practice but about ensuring that one's heart is aligned with God's will. As individuals steward their hearts, seeking peace with others and extending forgiveness, they create a fertile environment for God to work mightily within them. This heart posture invites the transformative power of God's presence, leading to a deeper, more authentic spiritual experience. [22:27]
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13 ESV)
Reflection: Who do you need to forgive, and how can you take the first step towards reconciliation today?
Day 3: Humility in Reconciliation
The journey to personal revival is often paved with the humility required to confront and repent for the pain we have caused others. It is a path that demands courage to seek forgiveness and to offer it, even when it is difficult. This process is not about achieving perfection but about embracing the humility that leads to genuine reconciliation. As individuals embark on this journey, they find that God honors their efforts with an increase in His glory in their lives, reflecting the beauty of restored relationships and healed hearts. [26:54]
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24 ESV)
Reflection: Is there someone you need to seek forgiveness from or offer forgiveness to, and what steps can you take to initiate that process?
Day 4: Preparedness for God's Glory
God's glory is not dispensed without discernment; it seeks out those who are prepared and willing to embrace it. The measure of glory one experiences is directly related to their surrender and openness to God's work in their lives. It is a call to readiness, to create an atmosphere where God's presence is not only welcomed but deeply desired. The scriptures show that when individuals and communities are prepared, hungry for God, and expectant, the glory of God descends in transformative ways. [33:36]
"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:31 ESV)
Reflection: What can you do to prepare your heart to be a dwelling place for God's glory?
Day 5: Continuous Growth in Revival
In the pursuit of revival, there is no place for complacency. Continuous repentance and humility are the hallmarks of a movement towards deeper spiritual growth. Believers are called to never cap their spiritual growth or settle into a state of spiritual satisfaction. There is always more of God to experience, and He invites His followers to deeper levels of surrender and sanctification. This ongoing process is a journey of discovering the vastness of God's love and the transformative power of His presence in every aspect of life. [44:55]
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6 ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to experience deeper growth, and what practical step can you take to pursue that growth?
Quotes
"When His glory walks into the room, be as still and as quiet as you possibly can be because He has His own agenda and He is here to do only what He can do." [13:12](Download | )
"Our tendency at times is when the glory of the Lord moves into a room and He shows up, our natural tendency is to talk or to sing or to gather around and thinking how can we replicate this." [10:25](Download | )
"I have to steward the sphere that I'm responsible for, and that is the sphere of my own heart." [22:27](Download | )
"Every time I've ever repented to a person and said I'm sorry, there's always been a level of increase of Glory. God cannot move in the midst of refusal with a hardened heart." [48:47](Download | )
"Why does God move in certain locations and then not others? Why will God's glory show up at this church and across the street there's no glory?" [16:56](Download | )
"I tell in the book 'Creating a Habitation for God's Glory'... I would have meetings with people... and the Lord would say 'there's one'... if God said it, He's already done it." [34:11](Download | )
"Revival came to me first personally before it came here. He touched me, He loved on me, He helped me." [24:47](Download | )
"The greater the surrender, the greater the glory. To the degree that I am willing to die to myself, my ambitions, my desires, is to the degree that He comes into this room." [30:33](Download | )
"I felt as soon as I made that statement the Lord go just like this... That is a terrifying feeling. I don't know if you've ever felt God step away from you." [28:57](Download | )
"The glory of the Lord does not mean that the glory of the Lord is to be distributed equally across the Earth simultaneously." [06:48](Download | )
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