Glorify God by living with Jesus

John 5:42-44 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? I want to make three connections in these verses that will encourage us to live to love with Jesus. Let’s first connect the Father and the Son. For Jesus to say that He came in His Father’s name meant that He is the Son of God. He was sent by God, His Father. Our first encouragement then is that our relationship with Jesus is also with God, the Father. Second, let’s connect love and faith. Jesus in essence told the Jews that they had neither the love of God in them nor faith. He knew them. If the love of God, the Father, abided in them, they would certainly love the Son and receive Him. But the love of God was not in them. The absence of the love of God made believing in Jesus impossible. Jesus’ reasoning was that if the love of God were in them, they would seek the glory of God by receiving Him whom God sent, and upon receiving Him, faith could be generated by His word. Our second encouragement is that God, in His mercy and grace, has poured out the love of God in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that’s why we believe and live to love with Jesus. Third, let’s connect faith and seeking the glory of God. Jesus’ understanding of faith is that it cannot exist in one who seeks glory from man rather than glory from God. If my understanding of unbelief is correct, then it makes sense. Unbelief looks at the things we can see, taste, touch, and experience in the earthly realm. Faith looks to Christ, who is the author and perfecter of faith (Heb. 12:2). When we receive glory from one another, the gaze of our hearts is on our own significance and what we can get from others. Apparently, no one can believe in Jesus if the heart isn’t seeking God’s glory. God is only glorified in His Son. To seek glory any other way than through Jesus is an exercise in futility and unbelief. So the third encouragement is that as we live to love with Jesus, we are seeking the glory of God in the way God intended to be glorified—in His Son. What encouragement we have as we realize we are loved by God. If we abide in Christ and live to love with Him, we are exercising the faith God has given us as we love God and others for the glory of God. Let’s remember the purpose of our lives is to glorify God by living with Jesus. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.