The Bulls-Eye
A genuine Christian lives to the Lord, prioritizing God's glory in all aspects of their life.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that genuine Christians live with the ultimate aim of glorifying God in all aspects of their lives. He explains that their actions, whether mundane or spiritual, are directed towards honoring God, making His glory their primary focus. Brooks highlights that even in the face of selfish desires, holy hearts strive to align their intentions with divine glory, echoing the sentiment that everything they do should be for the Lord. The preacher encourages believers to consistently seek God's glory in every action, reinforcing the idea that life and death both belong to the Lord.
Text
"For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies
to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we
die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we
belong to the Lord." Romans 14:7-8.
A genuine Christian ordinarily has holy aims and ends in his
actings and undertakings. The glory of God is the mark--the
bulls-eye which holy men have in their eyes. They live not
to themselves--but they live to Him who lives forever. They
live not to their own wills, lusts, greatness, and glory in this
world--but they live to His glory, whose glory is dearer to
them than their very lives. They make God's glory their
ultimate end. The daily language of their souls is, "Not
unto us, Lord, not unto us, Lord--but to Your name be all
the glory!"
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do--do
it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
Holy hearts habitually eye the glory of Christ in all things.
When they eat--they eat to His glory;
when they drink--they drink to His glory;
when they sleep--they sleep to His glory;
when they buy--they buy for His glory;
when they sell--they sell for His glory;
when they give--they give for His glory;
when they recreate themselves--they recreate for His glory;
when they hear preaching--they hear for His glory;
when they pray--they pray for His glory;
when they fast--they fast for His glory;
when they read Scripture--they read for His glory;
when they come to the Lord's table--they come to His glory.
In all secular and pious actions--holy hearts have a
habitual eye to divine glory. Selfish and base ends
and aims, will too often creep into the holiest hearts,
but holy hearts sigh and groan under them; and it is
the strong and earnest desires of their souls to be rid
of them. But take a holy Christian in his ordinary, usual,
and habitual course--and he will have holy aims and
ends in all his actions and undertakings.
"To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever!
Amen." 1 Peter 4:11
Sermon Outline
- Living for the Lord
- Holy aims and ends in our actions
- Habitually eyeing God's glory
- In all things, we do it for His glory
- From eating and drinking to prayer and fasting
Key Quotes
“For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.” — Thomas Brooks
“The glory of God is the mark--the bulls-eye which holy men have in their eyes.” — Thomas Brooks
“To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever!” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Make a conscious decision to prioritize God's glory in all aspects of your life.
- Be aware of your motivations and desires, and make a conscious effort to prioritize God's glory in all things.
- Strive to live to the Lord's glory in all your actions and undertakings.