Notes of Faith November 6, 2026
I will continue to post the link to the “Go Fund Me” account for our friend, John Belle who lost his brother earlier this year and his mother last week, now alone, trying to continue to live in very expensive California. Thank you to those who have already helped and thank you to those who are going to. His current need is great, but God is helping us to help him make choices, that, although he will have to move to survive financially, he should be able to keep his job and have enough to make it from day to day. Again, I thank you and pray that your reward in heaven is multiplied greatly!
“The glory of God is a human being fully alive, and to be alive consists in beholding God.”
It is often stated, and indeed, comes through in many Bible passages, that God is concerned about His own glory. He won’t share it with another, and demands glory from His followers even though it often means great hardship for them. This can make God seem like an unfeeling egomaniac, not caring what He has to put us through as long as He gets the credit in the end. Think of examples like the Israelites pinned between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:15–18), or Lazarus’ (first) death in John 11:4.
But Irenaeus’ insight helps us see God’s glory from a different perspective. First of all, he assures us that God’s glory and our good are inextricably intertwined. They are one and the same. Somehow, a human being reaching the fullest, most deeply true version of him or herself is the purest expression of God’s greatness and character. What’s more, we cannot attain this complete wholeness apart from seeing and knowing God for Who He truly is.
But here’s the rub: often, times of suffering and difficulty reveal God in ways that comfortable, easy experiences never could. Take Job for instance. It seems rather cruel that he had to go through so much grief and loss just so God could win an argument with Satan. God’s power and glory shine through clearly by the end of the text, but Job also says this:
“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5)
Through all the wrestling Job had seen God in new ways. He had become a more complete, mature version of himself. Although parts of him had died—treasured relationships, old paradigms, comfortable assumptions—he was actually more fully alive than ever before.
May God help us behold Him more deeply and truly in all circumstances, for His glory and our good.
The above is from a dear missionary, counselor, guide and support for missionaries, church servant and leader, home maker and retired for the moment? baker. I sure that there are many more titles that I have left out. I am inspired by this couple and their intense giving to the work of the Lord!
God’s glory has always been and always will be. Satan and his band of minions fell from the glory given them as they rebelled against the glory of God to create glory unto themselves. God created mankind in His image giving him all that he needed to reflect the glory of God. Since the fall of man into sin, the image of God is veiled without the regeneration of believing faith in the Son of God, Jesus the Christ. Believers and followers of Jesus must continue the work of Jesus to proclaim the glory and truth of God to bring light to this dark world. May we be blessed beyond our hopes and dreams to participate in the work of God that has eternal rewards!
Pastor Dale