Much More than We can Imagine – The Weight of Glory

1 Samuel 4:21-22 (NLT) 

    She named the child Ichabod—"Where is the glory?"—murmuring, "Israel's glory is gone." She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her husband and her father-in-law were dead. [22] Then she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured."

The weight of glory is when God brings His presence and eternity into a moment, situation or a person.

Judges 16:20 (NIV) 

    Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!"

    He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

Ezekiel 8:1-16 (NLT) 

    Then on September 17, during the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, while the leaders of Judah were in my home, the Sovereign Lord took hold of me. [2] I saw a figure that appeared to be a man. From the waist down he looked like a burning flame. From the waist up he looked like gleaming amber. [3] He put out what seemed to be a hand and took me by the hair. Then the Spirit lifted me up into the sky and transported me in a vision of God to Jerusalem. I was taken to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple, where there is a large idol that has made the Lord very angry.  [4] Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley.

1.  God will be most present in areas that are prepared to receive Him and where He is invited to be present.

    [5] Then the Lord said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked, and there to the north, beside the entrance to the gate of the altar, stood the idol that had made the Lord so angry.

    [6] "Son of man," he said, "do you see what they are doing? Do you see the great sins the people of Israel are doing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even greater sins than these!" [7] Then he brought me to the door of the Temple courtyard, where I could see an opening in the wall. [8] He said to me, "Now, son of man, dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and uncovered a door to a hidden room.

    [9] "Go in," he said, "and see the unspeakable wickedness going on in there!" [10] So I went in and saw the walls engraved with all kinds of snakes, lizards, and hideous creatures. I also saw the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. [11] Seventy leaders of Israel were standing there with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan in the middle. Each of them held an incense burner, so there was a thick cloud of incense above their heads.

2.  Deal with specific areas that still contain hidden idols that keep us from reflecting or shining brightly in God’s glory

Begin with repentance over specific areas of our lives

We shine brightest in the areas of our lives given over to God’s control.

Intentionally invite God to be present and control specific areas of our lives.

    [12] Then the Lord said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, 'The Lord doesn't see us; he has deserted our land!' " [13] Then he added, "Come, and I will show you greater sins than these!"

    [14] He brought me to the north gate of the Lord's Temple, and some women were sitting there, weeping for the god Tammuz. [15] "Have you seen this?" he asked. "But I will show you even greater sins than these!"

    [16] Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of the Lord's Temple. At the entrance, between the foyer and the bronze altar, about twenty-five men were standing with their backs to the Lord's Temple. They were facing eastward, worshiping the sun!

3.  Have a healthy fear of God.

2 Cor. 4:16-18 (NKJV) 

    ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

John 15:5 (NLT) 

    "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.