Vainglory

Saturday 12 August
READ: Phil. 2: 3
MORE LESSON: Matt. 5: 13-16

When men seek self glory it is vain. Vainglory is the glory that a man seeks for himself without allowing God to bestow it on him, ...so for men to search their own glory is not glory: Prov. 25:27. It is when a man does things to be seen and praised by men. Whatever you do to get praise for yourself will not attract the praise of God. If you seek your own glory, you will not see the glory of God on your life.
There are people who give money in church and they are offended because the pastor did not announce, “we thank God for Brother X who the Lord used to meet this need”. The pastor is in trouble if he acknowledges and praises the input of many in the church anonymously. The question is, 'Are they doing it for man or for God?' If you are doing it for God, then you don't need the praise of man. Do not let men give you all the reward you will get because they have praised and blown your trumpet; rather let God who sees in the secret reward you openly. Some brethren even complain, “Our church shows no appreciation, you come for meetings, contribute to the work and serve in the workforce and no one even says thank you.” Are you doing it to be thanked by men or to be rewarded by God?
Gal. 5:26 says, Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Vain glory stems from pride of life; it is when self wants to be seen and praised. Pride is a terrible destroyer as demostrated in the fall of Lucifer from Heaven to hell to become the devil. He was a beautiful angel who said in his heart that as attractive as he was, he was not getting due attention because God was always the subject of attraction. So he wanted to be seen and praised as well and he thought the best way to do it was to exalt himself above God so that all the attention that God got would come to him. Consequently he was cast down to hell. Pride always precedes a fall and vain glory will always lead to loss of God's glory.
If you want to amount to anything great in the hands of God, pride and vain glory must be cast out of your life. You must learn to do everything to the glory of God. This is not to say good deeds should not be appreciated in church or anywhere but that appreciation should not be the motive and purpose of doing anything for God, so that if you are praised give glory to God who enabled you to do what is praised and if not there should be no offence, all must be to the praise of God. Showmanship has no eternal reward, only a clap is its reward. All things should be done that God be praised, not us; that is the will of God.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your service shall not be to seek vain glory nor the praise of men, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will not miss the reward for your services in God’s vineyard.
* Ask for grace to be spiritually minded in your spiritual service, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, the mercy You have shown me shall be extended to all my family members, none shall see death before seeing You, in the name of Jesus.