Rhythms • Part 5

The recognition of God’s glory is essential to God. Therefore, you glorifying God is the most important thing you can do with your life. But if we are honest, many of us have little to no idea what that means. This week we are going to talk about what it means to bring glory to God.

1. Is there an instance in your life when you got something you wanted, only eventually to become unsatisfied by it? What was it?
2. Read Exodus 33:1–3. God is saying, “I will not destroy Israel. In fact, I will give them success. I’ll give them a land. I’ll give them power and military success, but my presence won’t go with them. They are a stiff-necked people. My fellowship won’t go with them. I will give them a good life, but not me.” How do you think you would feel if God told you that He would not go with you, that He didn’t want to be with you?
3. Can you imagine living the rest of your life if God did not go with you? Many people want God in hopes that He will give them the desires of their hearts. Can you describe anything that would be more valuable than the presence of God?
4. God’s presence is the very thing that brings value to His promise. Without Him, it means nothing. It’s empty! What is the difference between receiving God’s blessings alone compared to living in the presence of the One who gave you the promise?
5. Read Exodus 33:15-18. Moses is saying, “I don’t want just your wisdom or just your leading me. I don’t even want the promised land without you. God, what I am after is your glory. I want to see your glory. That is what I’m hungry for most. I want your presence. I want you.” What does it take for a person to transition from saying “God, I want what you can give me” to “God, I just want your presence”?
6. Pastor James said, “Glory is the displayed weight of something’s value.” What does this mean to you?
7. All sources of glory aside from God and his loving presence will fade away. They have no real value. Can you share a time when your desires were never fully met?
8. We chase after people, and they let us down. We give love and only receive hate in return. We pursue pleasures, and they leave us broken. We strive to have more money, and it leaves us poorer. It never seems to get better. What is the danger of giving value to things that are not as valuable as we thought?
   
9. Pastor James gave an illustration about his daughter’s great-grandmother’s cookbook. How does that reveal how we value and pursue the glory of God?
   
10. Pastor James said that to glorify God, you start by:

~Evaluating the value of God~ How valuable is God to me? How much is Jesus worth?

~Pursue what you value~ Moses was willing to give up everything else because what he wanted was God. What can you give up to seek God?