"There is a God!" This is King Nebuchadnezzar's first formal introduction to Yahweh – 'God of gods and Lord of kings' who 'reveals mysteries.' Have you met him? Do you know him? He certainly knows you. We will either be greatly comforted by this truth or completely terrified by it. Because in the end every earthly endeavour to make a name for ourselves will come to nothing and only the kingdom of God will remain. As he reveals himself to us in his Son, Jesus Christ, let's not reject the stone that all other kingdom builders have rejected. For it is only through faith in him that we are welcomed and adopted into his kingdom family forever.

John Owen contended in his book, published in 1683, "No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by sight hereafter who does not in some measure behold it here by faith". He elaborated that our view of the glory of Christ by faith, however dim, is fit to thrive and widen as a river meets the sea, as we come to our end in this world. Such a widening or even a "recovery from decays" (Owen's words) is the purpose of this concluding study as we consider : (1) Glory beheld by faith, (2) Glorious Triune Love, (3) Rejoicing amidst sufferings in "Hope of the Glory of God", (4) The glory yet to be revealed to us, and (5) Christ in you, the hope of glory Colossians 1:26-27.

As we commence our preaching series through the Book of Daniel this week I encourage you to come prepared– prepared by having read the book itself; prepared by watching the helpful summary by The Bible Project; prepared by prayerful meditation and asking the Lord to show us his character and covenant faithfulness through this series; and therefore prepared to hear God speak to us. In the opening chapter we learn that in all Daniel had to face and accept in his exile in Babylon, knowing the favour of God, he resolved that he would not defile himself but would remain faithfully devoted to his Lord. May the Spirit and grace we have received in Christ evoke the same uncompromising resolution in our own hearts and lives.

Last study we considered the glory of Christ's Incarnation and Ministry which led to the Cross, which is central in John's Gospel. This study focuses on His Resurrection, Ascension and Session. We hope to see each of these as indispensable, powerful, and gloriously effective in fulfilling everything He planned since before time. Such includes the glorious defeat of death and the one with the power of death, and the glorious pouring out of the Spirit of Father and Son indwelling His global Church. Our eternal Word continues to speak gloriously through His Church. This same Son of Man in Heaven majestically reigns as King and sympathetically intercedes for us as our eternal High Priest. From heaven He continues to display the moral glory of God throughout the whole world to bring many sons to glory

We have come to the end of 2 Thessalonians. Throughout the letter, the church has been taught, corrected, encouraged and instructed in everything Paul believes they need for the Christian life. Yet, despite all this preparation, what lies ahead remains unknown. So Paul closes with a prayer that the Lord would give them a gift that would sustain them all the days of their lives. What is that gift? It is the gift of peace and the presence of the Lord. As we look to the future, with all its trials and blessings, what will hold us steady? What will keep us faithful to what we have been taught and have come to believe through seasons of anxiety, fear, guilt, loneliness, grief and suffering? It is the peace we have received from the Lord of Peace, Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of God with us that will keep us. The peace that comes from Him, is found in Him and leads us to Him will guard our hearts and minds in every season, enabling us to stand firm until the day we see Him face to face.

In John's Gospel we see the glory of Christ in events and references that point to and lead to the Cross ... the focus and greatest manifestation of glory in His ministry. Whilst the crosses we put on and in our church buildings are symbols of cruel punishment and suffering, they paradoxically remind us of the time that God's greatest glory to Mankind is revealed and effected. How can that be so? We may fathom in-part the glories of incarnation, transfiguration, resurrection, ascension and subsequent Christ's rule and high priestly role. In this session we hope to catch glimpses of the unfathomably great glory of the Godhead that glows brightly from the Cross.

Anyone who has been involved with schooling over the past few decades will have heard the 'No hat, no play' rule designed to protect the children from sunburn and skin cancer. In our passage this week Paul gives a similar command in order to protect the church from an ongoing issue of idleness: If anyone is not willing to work, let them not eat. More than sheer laziness, idleness can quickly develop into more sinister problems and Paul gives some strong and clear instruction on how the church is to address the matter. As we consider these things in our own homes and church family please pray that God might "fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power" among us.

When we understand the magnitude of creation, how is it that God could care for us, let alone crown mankind with glory and honour? Or, is it only Jesus Christ who is crowned, for example in Hebrews 2? Or is it both, and what then would this mean? Psalm 8 also tells us that our Lord's enemies are defeated out of the mouths of babes and infants, and rules gloriously out of seemingly weak Man. Whilst we can't fathom this, it informs how we should expect to behold the glory of Jesus Christ's incarnation, miracles and the Cross, as well as His ascension and heavenly reign and rule. It also has great implications for how we live gloriously in His kingdom.

"…not all have faith… but the Lord is faithful." In the truth of this statement we discover our total dependence upon God. And, at the same time we find we can be absolutely confident in him. This confidence does not lead us to complacency, but to whole-hearted trust and prayer. Prayer, which is not in any way a sign of weakness but an act of faith in the One who is forever faithful. In the hearing of this word, may he 'direct our hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ,' so that we might have the same confidence as Paul in the Lord who is faithful.

What do we mean or understand when we sing songs or speak about God's glory? There are times that we are captivated and changed by things or people with success, fame, honour, courage or beauty - things or people that we may take to be glorious. God is glorious and jealous that we see and are captivated by His glory alone, and that we live gloriously in our glorious and glorified Jesus Christ. Such a beholding of His glory is the ongoing goal of these five studies, even if dimly as in a glass, and by faith. In study one we commence by observing some reasons why this is so important and a few Old Testament examples where God makes His glory known.