Glory Days Ahead

A Dangerous Perspective

1. When the temple’s foundation was laid after the regathering of the Jews from Babylon, there were glory days past and future considered (Ezra 3:12-13; Hag 2:3-9).
2. The world (Bruce Springsteen) has a song about past glory days, but the truth for Christians is that glory days can be ahead here and will surely be ahead in heaven.
3. Do not question God’s providence but rather your own performance (Ec 7:10, 14-18)?
4. Israel was guilty for charging their parents with their difficult times (Jer 31:27-30).
5. Job was guilty of this error for complaining of God’s unfairness to him (Job 29:2-7).
6. When viewing your life, God is greater than man and does as He pleases (Job 33:12).
7. Our religion has the greatest hope for anyone in any situation; do not misunderstand it.
8. Your legacy is not a reflection of circumstances, but rather how you respond to them.
9. The LORD’s hand is not shortened nor His ear heavy – it is sin that ruins glory days.
10. It has been said by a commentator, “The past is the only dead thing that smells sweet.”
11. The righteous have afflictions, but God delivers and doubles (Ps 34:19; Job 42:10)!
12. Paul had the right perspective of forgetting glory days behind to look only forward.
13. The older you are only means that greater intensity of effort is required in a short time.
14. The evil days coming are only physical – a righteous man can still have glory days.

A Wonderful Possibility

1. From the very beginning, God offered glory days to men for obedience (Gen 4:6-7).
2. Moses offered glory days for Israel, if they would obey (Ex 23:20-31; Lev 26:1-13; Deut 4:1-8; 6:1-3,16-25; 7:12-24; 8:6-10; 11:8-15,18-28; 28:1-14; 30:4-10; 32:45-47).
3. God offered again to Israel to repent and obey (Is 35:1-3; Hag 2:15-20; Mal 3:8-12).
4. David knew the experience of losing glory days but had hope for the future (Ps 42,43).
5. Almighty God gives glory days to those who obey His written word very diligently.
   1. God blesses and rewards those that obey His word (Ps 19:11; Pr 3:16-18; Jas 1:25).
   2. Lot and Abraham had glory days past and future as one cheated and one obeyed.
   3. Joseph would not disobey God; from prison he had glory days on Egypt’s throne, which was an incredible reversal of fortune and turned great evil into great benefit.
   4. Were Naomi’s and Ruth’s glory days in the past with husbands or in the future?
   5. If a man disobeys, then God will in love turn His glory into corruption (Ps 39:11).
   6. Many proverbs describe glory days on those who fear God and who love wisdom.
   7. The glory of repentance clears from sin and restores glory days (II Cor 7:10-11).
   8. God gave many promises of glory days for contrite Israel (Is 62:1-5; Zep 3:14-20).
   9. Manasseh humbled himself and was restored to his throne from Babylon’s prison.
   10. God blessed David the sinner to advance from a penitent to prophet and financier.
   11. God blessed Peter the betrayer to advance from weeping loser to leading apostle.
6. God gives glory days to those persons who greatly delight in His cause and kingdom.
   1. God blesses and rewards men that delight in Him (Ps 37:4; Is 58:13-14; Matt 6:33).
   2. Jacob rose from stony griefs promising to pay a tithe, and he returned in two bands.
   3. Hannah gave her son to God, if He would give her one. She got five more children.
   4. David happed upon Goliath and did what any man could have done for great glory.
   5. Daniel chose in his heart to honor God, and he rose from eunuch to first president.
   6. God blessed Esther to advance from lonely orphan to queen of the Persian Empire.
   7. Jesus chose to do God’s will in redemption, and now He sits on the throne of glory, second only to Almighty God (Phil 2:5-11; Heb 12:1-3; Acts 2:32-36).
   8. John Mark’s glory days were not with Paul the first time but later when in Rome.
   9. Though David sinned greatly, he repented and died a glorious death (II Sa 23:1-5).
   10. Those who give up things here for His kingdom get a hundredfold (Mk 10:28-30).
7. The N.T. changes men from glory to glory (John 17:22; II Cor 3:18; II Thess 2:14).
8. Serving others and seeing their progress in Christ is also glory days (I Thess 2:20).
9. Paul was able to even glory in infirmities of all kinds through Christ (II Cor 12:9).
10. The right perspective even of trials leads to glorious results (Jas 1:2-4; Rom 5:2-5).
11. Our religion has the greatest hope for anyone in any situation; do not misunderstand it.
12. Seize the moment today; seek to end your life well; build toward coming glory days.
13. The lesson is for every person, and then for every family, and then for the church also.

A Certain Perfection

1. Heaven is ahead for the elect, and that is fabulous glory (Rom 8:17-19; II Cor 4:17).
2. The right perspective sees great glory days ahead (I Pet 5:1,4,10; Col 3:4; Eph 1:18).
3. Faith of glory days coming should cause joy unspeakable and full of glory (I Pet 1:8).
4. You will be glorified with a glorious body – true glory days (Rom 8:30; I Cor 15:43).
5. There are things coming that human eyes, ears, hearts cannot comprehend (I Cor 2:9).
6. Christians have a win-win certainty for glory days now and later by godly obedience.

For Further Study:

1. Sermon Outline: Ending Your Life Well.
2. Sermon Outline: Choices.
3. Sermon Outline: Connect the Dots.
4. Sermon Outline: Sacrificing Your Future.
5. Sermon Outline: When Things Seem Hopeless.
6. Sermon Outline: Reversal of Fortune in Christ.
7. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 9:12.
8. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 4:8.
9. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 4:9.
10. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 21:21.
11. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 22:4.
12. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 3:35.
13. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 4:18.
14. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 12:3.