Christian Writers Circle

Hidden Glory
by Brenda D. Flowers

“Do I truly hallow my Father in Heaven and His name?”

I know the importance of praying the words of “The Lord’s Prayer.” I have said this prayer since I was a young child, but do I really understand what treasures may be hidden in these words?

Jesus taught His disciples a pattern of how to pray. The order of the words has meaning. I believe Jesus’ followers were sincere in wanting to know how to pray with intent; and Jesus, according to the will of His Father, gave them these words:

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. . .
(Matthew 6: 8-10, KJV)

First, we notice how Jesus tells His disciples and us to focus on our Father in heaven. Jesus uses a special word to say what God’s name is. I don’t want to continue rotely speaking this next line of the prayer without being cognizant of its depth. “Hallowed be Thy name,” I repeat these words and meditate on their meaning. Hallowed. Hallowed isn’t a word we use in today’s vernacular. Yet, I know it means showing respect.

In researching the meaning of this word, I discover it can mean Holy, sanctified, blessed, sacred, highly respected and consecrated. Jesus, in following His Father’s will, is modeling the importance of showing honor and respect to Father God, recognizing the awesome reality of who God is and how He is the One to be glorified.

Matthew recorded these words, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and based upon his experiences with Jesus and the other disciples. He knew that Jesus taught His followers to pray this way. Matthew was with Jesus for three years in ministry. Matthew watched Jesus honor His heavenly Father in all of His actions and daily choices. He realized Jesus was the embodiment of the fulfillment of this prayer, living a sinless, righteous life.

When we pray these words as Christ’s followers, we are proclaiming to the world the magnificence of who God is. We are exclaiming His worthiness to be praised. We show we know whose name is above all names. We announce who we trust as being holy.

God, our Father in heaven, gave His authority to His Son, Jesus, and in turn by His great love, God pours out His kingdom life to us who believe in Him. When we start our prayers, giving honor to whom honor is due, then we have the right to approach God’s throne with our requests. We are not worthy, but God has made a way for us to be worthy. God wants us to experience His heavenly kingdom life on earth; otherwise He would not have guided Jesus to speak these words.

When I reverence God in my heart, loving Him above anything else in my life I am recognizing His holiness and creative power. It is with His creative loving words that dark changes to light and life. Jesus, the embodiment of His Word, voices deeper truths than I am able to comprehend. This is where my mustard seed faith comes in to play. I believe Holy God loves me and I give him honor and glory as I pray how He taught me to pray through His Son. Then, by His Holy Spirit, I am able to walk it out in this earth, following the model of Jesus.

Let’s reflect on how we can show our love and respect to Abba, our Father in heaven. He is a tender, loving God to have planned a way for us to come to Him. He is worthy to be praised!

Glory to His Name
“King of Glory”
by Judy Hitson

Psalm 24:10 NASB Who is the King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.

We are exhorted in Scripture to give glory to His name. As in I Chronicles 16:29,NASB, Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship the LORD in holy array.

Note David’s example of this in Psalm 8:1 NASB O LORD, our LORD, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! David expounds on giving glory to God’s name in this Psalm through creation in heaven and on earth.

His name, King of glory, occurs only in Psalm 24. Yet, it is powerful to consider the name, King of glory, with the LORD of hosts which varies in name according to the translation. Think slowly on the following translations of LORD of hosts in Psalm 24:10:

NASB – The LORD of hosts is with us.
TLB – The Commander of the armies of heaven is here among us.
NIV – The LORD Almighty is with us.
NLV – The LORD of All is with us.
CEV – The LORD ALL-Powerful is with us.

We could plunge deeper just in this one verse and through Psalm 24 alone. His name deserves our time and attention to give Him all the glory forever. He is with us.

Psalm 24:9 NASB Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!

Do you lift your head for the King of glory to come in you, in your life, into your situation?

When we do, others see the glory of the LORD upon us. Then we can be ready to share the hope that is within us to whoever asks. I think of Daniel 11:32b NASB…the people who know their God will display strength and take action.

His name is His character. Discover His many facets. He is glorious, like stars in the sky on a dark night or multi facets of a flawless diamond under a microscope. Let us know our God and give glory to His name. As for the King of glory, the LORD of hosts, Commander of the armies of heaven, I draw our attention to Revelation 19:11-16 NASB, see Him as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Fear not the deception and chaos among the nations of the world, God is with us, who are His people. He is merciful. He is just. He is coming again.

Prayer: Father draw us to Jesus (John 6:44), to know You, our God, and give glory to Your name, King of glory, in praise, honor and thanksgiving, in living Christ to the glory of God. Thank You that we carry Your name as Christians, Christ the hope of glory. Amen.

And the Glory Forever
by Brenda D. Flowers

Distractions! Distractions all around
Taking my eyes away from what is true.

Distractions! Distractions all around
Numbing my ears so I can’t hear You.

Oh, God! Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
You, the three in One;

You are the Trinity I trust,
Not a false version.

As a Christian, am I awake
To what is going on?

The enemy’s tactics to tempt me
And all from God’s Son.

“Angel of light” glitters, shines;
Deceitfully entices.

A form of godliness, a form
of truth. ..evil tactics

Blinding men and women with
Intoxicating “enlightenment”.

What’s my part? Your Word says
We are being sent.

Jesus, long ago You taught the words
We are now to pray.

By example, You gave us the model
You showed the true way.

In intimacy, honoring Abba, seeking His
Will, forgiveness for sin.

Knowing His is the kingdom, the power
And the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 6: 9-15 (NKJV)
In this manner, therefore, pray:
   Our Father in heaven,
   Hallowed be Your name.
   Your kingdom come.
   Your will be done
   On earth as it is in heaven.
   Give us this day our daily bread.
   And forgive us our debts,
   As we forgive our debtors.
   And do not lead us into temptation,
   But deliver us from the evil one.
   For Yours is the kingdom and the power and
        the glory forever. Amen.

Christ Returns in Glory
by Judy Hitson

Matthew 16:27 NKJV For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

This is what life is all about, Christ is our life, Col.3:4. This is the culmination of the ages. Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man tells of His coming death, resurrection and return, but His disciples did not understand. Today, we have the privilege to understand what the Lord says by His Spirit. He is the only begotten of the Father. He is coming again in glory.

Are you looking for His return? Are you preparing?

He is worth it all, the disciplines, sacrifices, suffering, surrender of our lives to follow Him. So keep on keeping on. Christ laid down His life for us that we might live through Him. He calls us who desire to come after Him to deny ourselves, and take up our cross, and follow Him. See Matt.16:24; Luke 9:23 and determine your desire toward Jesus Christ.

Will you give yourself wholly to Christ?

As I considered this question for my own life, I was reading “The Bible Exposition Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe” Serving Faith – Following Christ (Matt. 16:21-28). The following Bible passages he mentions are worth taking time with the Lord in prayer, Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:7-10 (I would include verse 11). You may be familiar with these verses. However, as we revisit words the Lord spoke to us in seasons of life, deep calls to deep, motivating us to mature to the full measure of Christ.

Why does this matter in relation to Christ’s return in glory?

Note our key verse, Matt.16:27b then He will reward each according to his works. That is a very important reason as followers of Christ. The way we live our lives on earth, for His glory  or not, will matter for all eternity. When we are at the judgment seat of Christ for rewards and loss of rewards, we will fully understand. Until then, prayerfully consider I Cor.3:8-15. God bless you to think about eternal rewards. Read the suggested Scripture passages and receive revelation and understanding for your life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus help us remember You are the hope of glory in us, Col.1:27 and to live in light of it by Your Spirit. Amen.

See My Son’s Glory
by Brenda D. Flowers

The sun is up.
A new day is here.
My Son stays up.
There’s nothing to fear.

Creation shows
What others may see.
Look closely, child,
See My Son’s glory.

Shining brightly
Within and without.
Hearts illumined.
In Him, there’s no doubt.

Angels announce
So souls will be warned.
Believers wait.
They will be adorned.

A day has dawned
Truth came to this earth.
Glory to Him.
Thank Him for rebirth.

Praise the Lord now.
Rejoice in this day.
My Son’s alive!
He still shows the way.

What about you? Have you discovered The Way? Jesus is reaching out to you in love and saying, “Follow Me. I’ll show you.”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6 NASB)

Glory on Earth
by Judy Hitson

Matthew 5:16 ESV …….let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

God’s glory can be seen in men and women of God who walk on earth. They are His people who manifest Christ in their life, the way they talk and the way they live. Their speech is pure and their actions match it. They live a holy life, separate from the ways of this world. These are carriers of God’s presence, displaying His glory on earth as it is in heaven, walking in the Spirit and walking in His love.

Let us ask God, “Do I manifest Your glory as one of Your children on earth?”

If we proclaim God as our Father in heaven, confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, should we not be a reflection of Him on earth?

How can we let our light shine before others that they may see our good works? Do we try harder, work harder? If we are performance based with self effort, is that not for our glory rather than God’s?

These are thought provoking questions.  May they draw us into the presence of God for revelation, understanding and be filled with His Spirit to work through us. Then others will give glory to our Father who is in heaven. For only by the Holy Spirit can we give glory to Jesus Christ and be about Father’s business. If you live this life, taste His goodness in and through your life and give Him all the glory, praise God.

We all have need of change from the day of our salvation when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior.  It is His Spirit who gives life to transform us into His likeness from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3:18. This is a process from a newborn babe to a mature man in Christ. In and by the Spirit, we are changed as we surrender our lives to God with our free will. I think of a hymn as I write, “I Surrender All.”

If that is your desire, as it is mine, pray with me from Ephesians 3: 16,
Father in heaven, grant us according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with power through Your Spirit in our inner man. In Jesus name. Amen.

Journaling – Glory in Intimacy
by Cathy Weil
Good morning Father, I love you. Please help me grasp what I have been reading.

The apostles had the privilege of knowing and hanging out with Jesus. They ate with Him, walked with Him, talked with Him, and saw Him do miracles. They saw Him with human eyes, touched Him with human bodies and heard Him with human ears. What in the world could beat that? We all wish we could have experienced Jesus the way the Apostles did. I wish I could go to Israel, just to walk the streets where Jesus walked in the flesh. I could pretend, just for a moment to be there at that time.

Why then, did Jesus say:

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you,” John 16:7 NASB

I can see how the Apostles were bummed out. Who wants a “helper” when you can have the real thing “Jesus.”  They just wanted to go on the trip they thought Jesus was going on, but they weren’t “invited.” Can you imagine the abandonment issues they had when Jesus was crucified, died and was buried? They had the first glimmer of hope when they found out that Jesus rose from the dead. Then when Jesus visited them, they were given a bigger vision of what this was all about. After Jesus departed, they worked, but again were lost and confused about what the point of all of this was. In the upper room, forty days later on the feast of Pentecost, a big holy wind blew up and through them. In an instant, they were changed and sealed with the Holy Spirit. They prophesied, spoke in tongues, etc. Now the secret was revealed! God “IN” us.Us “IN” God. The intimate, true union of God and man! The actual throne room of God now can reside in our hearts. The ultimate purpose for every covenant between God and man fulfilled! They rejoiced and praised their living God.

Today there are many who go to church and I think they feel like the apostles did when Christ died and hadn’t risen yet. They wonder: “Is there really a Christ?” “If there is, He’s not here for me”. Until there is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they are dead. We must have apostles today, speaking life to these people. We must yield to the Spirit within us and serve.

Those who have experienced the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, have a responsibility to grow and yield to the work the Holy Spirit is doing in and around us. If we do, over time, we will have the mind of Christ, we will have the hands and feet of Christ and by dying to self, He will walk the streets here on earth in unity with us in our own bodies. He is glorified through our obedience and our witness and the very Presence we carry. His true presence radiates from the throne room in our hearts to the world. We are more than human tabernacles. We have been given the privilege of being one with God who made heaven and earth. We can “see” what He sees and “hear” what He hears and know what He knows, because we are united by the Spirit in the body. If we truly seek Him with our whole mind, heart and soul, then we can have the privilege of really knowing our God intimately from the inside out. We are in this world with a greater advantage than the Apostles had before Pentecost, because we are one with our Triune God

By Brenda D. Flowers

Several weeks ago, I found myself humming the melody of the song, “The Joy of the Lord.” It is a song I sang many years ago when I volunteered at Children’s Church. I was a young mother at the time and the chorus was fun to sing with my own children. After some on-line research, I located the version of the song I remembered. If you have an interest, see www.PraiseInMotion.net.

Instead of singing “The Joy of the Lord” from the phrase in Nehemiah 8:10, I found myself singing a new verse:  “The glory of the Lord is my strength.” I am excited to share what I learned from the Scriptures related to this new song, a message of warning and hope.

In 1 Samuel, I discovered the LORD lifted His glory from Israel when the high priest, Eli, refused to deal with sin in God’s house. At this time, God judged Israel, disciplining them for not seeking Him and His ways. They lost their strength because God’s glory had been removed. God allowed the Israelites to be defeated by the Philistines and the ark of God was captured. Eli’s two sons were killed in the battle. When Eli heard the ark of God had been captured, he fell off his seat backward and died of a broken neck. Eli’s daughter-in-law went into premature labor when she heard the news of the death of her husband, father-in-law and that the ark had been stolen. Even in the agony of dying in childbirth, she realized the judgment of God as she named her son Ichabod, stating “The glory has departed from Israel!” (1Samuel 4: 21a, NKJV)

During this period of history, disrespect for God and His ways permeated the culture, much like we see today. People were unaware then as today of their need to repent from their ways to seek God and follow His ways.

This sad time in Israel’s history can be contrasted to the joyous time when King David had the ark of the LORD brought back to Jerusalem. David learned the importance of recognizing God’s holiness and majesty. Even in the face of criticism, David willingly humbled himself by offering sacrifices to God and by dancing before the LORD, wearing only a linen ephod. (2 Samuel 6: 12-23)

After the ark was returned, the LORD gave David rest from all his enemies (2 Samuel 7: 1). David longed to build God a house where the ark could dwell, made of cedar, the finest material for construction in that day. David realized a tent was not a worthy lodging place for God’s ark in Jerusalem. The LORD spoke to David through the prophet Nathan reminding him of His Sovereignty. God promised He would make the house and He revealed His plan:

          When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers,
           I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body,
           And I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name,
           And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father,
           and he shall be My son.  (2 Samuel 7: 12-14a, NKJV)

I wonder how many of us have grasped the deeper meaning of these words. God promised to build a physical house through David’s line but more importantly He promised to build an eternal kingdom. Both of these promises have been fulfilled! Solomon, David’s son and first heir to the throne, built the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus Christ, son of David, built and is building the heavenly kingdom! As sons and daughters of the King of kings, we are part of His eternal kingdom. We can reign in life as we know we are His beloved and as we trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, not trusting in man’s ways.

David’s words, where he received his strength:

           But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,
           My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
           I cried to the LORD with my voice,
           And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah   (Psalm 3: 3-4, NKJV)

The glory of the LORD, His precious presence, is where we gain our strength. We can trust God to fulfill all of His promises to us.

Prayer: LORD, thank you for teaching us Your ways to heed Your warnings, repent and walk in Your ways. May Your glory be our strength and joy. Amen

by Judy Hitson

Luke 2:14 NIV “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

With these words, angels in heaven praised God with the angel of the Lord who appeared before the shepherds.

Peace  to those on whom his favor rests seemed a different perspective to me. Other translations say, on earth peace, good will toward men. God made His peace available to man  through the birth of His Son. Only those who please Him, who have His favor experience His peace on earth.

Pray for the favor of God, I heard preachers and teachers say these words in the church. It caught my attention to begin praying this prayer. I taste God’s favor in my life and His peace on earth, though there is much chaos in the world. The New International version of this verse leaped off the page to my heart. When Glory came down from heaven to earth, our Savior was born in Bethlehem to a virgin called Mary. This was something only God could do to bring about the birth of His only begotten Son. I thought about the angel appearing to the shepherds in the field bringing them the good news. As Christians, we know the Christmas story of Luke Chapter Two, the most important story ever told.

Think about this glorious event in history from Philippians 2:6-7 New Life Version 6 Jesus has always been as God is. But He did not hold to His rights as God. 7 He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man. I recall a song, “When God Became a Man” from this passage of Scripture. I found it searching on Google with another hymn titled, “Love was when God became a Man.”

The shepherds heard the good news the angel brought them, Luke 2:11a Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. In Bethlehem they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  The shepherds spread the word about this child. All they heard and saw were just as they were told.

Have you seen Jesus?
Are you telling the good news when glory came down, when God became a Man?

by Brenda D. Flowers

January 21, 2016 marked a milestone in my life. It was the fortieth anniversary of my spiritual birthday. I have been praying about the significance of this event and have been impressed to write these words.

On our spiritual birthday, when we believe in Jesus as Savior and receive His Spirit, we begin our journey of learning how to experience resurrection life as a new creation. As we daily read God’s love letters to us in the Bible, we learn to put our trust fully in Jesus Christ, not only as Savior but also as Lord of our lives. By spending time in God’s Word and in communication with Him, we learn how He empowers us by His Holy Spirit to be ambassadors of His love to the world. We are successful ambassadors, fulfilling God’s purpose in us, as we reflect His character and as we step forward in His Glory.

As this marks the fortieth year of my journey as a Christian, I am challenged to move forward even more to reach my God-given purpose. Like Joshua and Caleb of the Old Testament, I want to declare with confidence and joy the victory that is possible because God is with me.

Caleb and Joshua never gave up on God’s promise, although they had to live through many difficult circumstances while wandering in a desert wilderness for forty years. I imagine their heartache, as they had to bury loved ones of their generation along that long desert journey. I firmly believe, however, they realized God’s provision and sovereignty. It is evident in the Scriptures that they were thankful for what they learned along the way and gave God the glory.

God also wants us, as Christians, to live our lives focused on Him, not focused on our circumstances. We must be willing to die to our selfish ways to discover the rich fruits of His Spirit and reach our “promised land”, experiencing His Kingdom life on earth as it is in heaven. My prayer for all of us this year is that we each may trust God with our whole heart, knowing He is all we need to live fruitful glorious lives, and may we step forward to fulfill our created purpose. It is in Jesus’ name I pray this prayer, trusting His promises.

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is
the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with
unveiled faces contemplate (or reflect) the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his
image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
 (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NIV)