The Original Hooker

Most people know that "hooker" is a slang term for a prostitute or someone who exchanges sex for money. What most people don't know, however, is how the term originated. Admittedly, I was one such person. But I happened to stumble across this tidbit of information last night while reading A. Lincoln: A Biography, by Ronald C. White, Jr.

In January of 1863, Union General Ambrose Burnside was removed as commander of the Army of the Potomac, after serving in the role for just two months. President Lincoln decided to appoint Joseph "Fighing Joe" Hooker as Burnside's replacement. Hooker had been one of Burnside's two senior officers and often criticized Burnside behind his back. Despite Hooker's "loose lips," Lincoln appointed him as the new commander because of his proven courage, his loyalty to the Union, and his popularity among the troops.

Lincoln summoned Hooker to the White House and told him,

I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to which, I am not quite satisfied with you.... I think that during Gen. Burnside's command of the Army, you have taken counsel of your ambition, and thwarted him as much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country, and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer.... Of course it was not for this but in spite of it, that I have given you the command.

Lincoln later recorded all this in Hooker's letter of appointment, which also included words of affirmation and admonition, mingled with humor. Months later, Hooker mentioned the letter to a reporter, saying, "That is just a letter as a father might write to a son. It is a beautiful letter, and although I think he was harder on me than I deserved, I will say I love the man who wrote it."

When Hooker took command of the Army of the Potomac, the troops were already demoralized due to poor health. Hundreds of soldiers were dying for lack of proper medical care in their winter quarters. Furthermore, the majority of them opposed Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which was published the same month that Hooker assumed his role as commander. Biographer White notes, "Desertions numbered two hundred per day." But then White immediately adds,

Ill will turned to good will, however, as Hooker initiated changes. New hospitals were built and older ones revamped. Improved rations, especially vegetables, suddenly appeared. Hooker stated, "My men shall be fed before I am fed, and before any of my officers are fed." 

Hooker also instituted badges of different colors that were worn with pride on the caps of the men in each corps. Moreover, he implemented "the orderly observance of the Sabbath," in accordance with the President's directive months earlier.

Without a doubt, Joseph Hooker had some fine qualities that earned the respect of his troops and improved their morale. But, as White points out, 

Hooker was still not without his detractors. Women and whiskey have always followed soldiers, but Hooker's headquarters became a gathering place for female camp followers who acquired a name that stuck long after the Civil War--"hookers."

As I read that paragraph just before bed last night, I thought, "Ohhh ... so that's where the term hooker comes from!"

Now every time I hear that word, I'll associate it with "Fighting Joe" Hooker.

The reason I share this piece from American history because Thomas Hooker is long dead, but his name lives on -- not as a Civil War hero, but as a synonym for whore, harlot, or prostitute. Despite his courage, care for his troops, and contributions to the preservation of the Union, Joseph Hooker will be remembered for his loose lips and even more so for his loose morals.

How will people remember me when I'm gone? How will they remember you? 

"A good name [earned by honorable behavior, godly wisdom, moral courage, and personal integrity] is more desirable than great riches..." (Prov. 22:1 AMP).

Battling Discontent

God's providence never ceases to amaze me, particularly when it comes to reading.

Yes, reading. Particularly when I'm reading Scripture or a book based on biblical truth.

I've been reading from a number of resources in preparation for a new sermon series in the fall. One book that I'm reading through (for the second time) is The Compelling Community, by Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop. In a chapter titled "Protecting Community," they talk about addressing discontent in the church. To do so, they draw some helpful insights from Acts 6. (The main points plus any statements in quotations are direct quotes from the book.)

1. Threats to church unity deserve the attention of church leaders. In Acts 6, a complaint arose over the care of widows (or lack thereof). Nowadays, any number of issues can spark a spirit of discontent among God's people. "Unity is precious, but unity is also precarious. When unity is threatened, church leaders should take notice.
2. But ultimately it is the congregation's job to protect unity. In Acts 6, the apostles showed initiative in resolving the issue but also expected the congregation to do their part. "Leaders must lead, but protecting unity is ultimately the church's responsibility. After all, who does Paul urge in Ephesians 4:3 to be 'eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?' The congregation. Too often, Christians throw problems straight to church leaders for solution. As a leader, you won't serve your church well if you assist them in abdicating their responsibility. Instead you should lead the congregation to address its own unity problems."
3. Be reluctant to take sides. In Acts 6, the apostles were careful not to side with the Hebrews or the Hellenists. "So often, we have limited visibility into the root of complaints that people bring us." Rather than get involved in the minutiae of the issue, the apostles focused on the bigger issue, exhorting the congregation to care for one another. 
4. Act in response to tangible, structural problems. "As church leaders, we often hear from unhappy people. Too often, we feel our job is to make everyone happy. But that is neither realistic nor biblical." The record of Acts 6 shows that, "rather than responding to a general sense of discontent or discomfort, the apostles were slow to act until they saw an issue that was structural and tangible."
5. Temper expectations for what church leaders can do. One word that is particularly striking in Acts 6 is the word "neglected." Despite their best efforts, the apostles were unable to provide sufficient care for everyone in the congregation. "Similarly, we must take care not to oversell our abilities as church leaders." We can only do so much in addressing problems that plague the church. As pastors & elders, "[we] can pray that God would ignite real change; [we] can teach the congregation of God's priorities in his inspired Word; and [we] can address structural issues as they appear. But the problems that most pain us in our congregations are problems of the heart - and only God can do that work."
6. Put your hope in what they Spirit can do through the congregation. Church leaders should pay attention to problems that threaten church unity. We should take care to address such issues from Scripture, while recognizing that it is ultimately the congregation as a whole that must preserve its unity. We should avoid taking sides, but seize opportunities to address concrete solutions as we can. "In doing so, we should have a realistic understanding of what church leaders can do, but unbridled optimism for what God's Spirit can do."

Amen! And we should most definitely praise the Lord when the truth of the gospel displays its power through the preservation of our unity. That's something worth fighting for -- in our family and in our church family. The psalmist said it best: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1).

Do All Dogs Go to Heaven?

In case you didn't notice, the title of this blog article was inspired by the 1989 animated musical, All Dogs Go to Heaven. But do they?

The passing of our pet beagle, Buster, brought to mind a similar question that was posed to theologian R. C. Sproul. I came across this question and Dr. Sproul's answer twenty years ago in his book, Now, That's a Good Question!, and I never forgot it. That's why it came to mind so readily when our family faced the heartache of losing our beloved pet. Here is the precise wording of the question, followed by Dr. Sproul's answer:

What happens to animals when they die? I know that some people get very attached to them.

I can't answer that question for sure, but I don't want you to think for a minute that it's a frivolous question. People do get very attached to their pets, particularly if the pet has been with them for a long time....

Within the Christian church there are different schools of thought on the issue. Some people believe that animals simply disintegrate; they pass into nothingness and are annihilated, which is based on the premise that animals don't have souls that can survive the grave. However, nowhere does Scripture explicitly state that animals do not have souls.

The Bible tells us that we have the image of God in a way that animals do not. Now is the "image of God" what differentiates between a soul and a nonsoul? Those who take a Greek view of the soul--that it is this substance that continues indestructibly forever--may want to restrict that to human beings. But again, there's nothing in Scripture I know of that would preclude the possibility of animals' continued existence. 

The Bible does give us some reason to hope that departed animals will be restored. We read in the Bible that redemption is a cosmic matter. The whole creation is destined to be redeemed through the work of Christ (Rom. 8:21), and we see the images of what heaven will be like; beautiful passages of Scripture tell us about the lion and the lamb and other animals being at peace with one another. Whenever heaven is described, though it may be in highly imaginative language, it is a place where animals seem to be present. Whether there are animals newly created for the new heavens and the new earth, or they are the redeemed souls of our pets that have perished, we can't know for sure. 

All of this is sheer speculation, but I would like to think that we will see our beloved pets again someday as they participate in the benefits of the redemption that Christ has achieved for the human race.

I would like to think the same thing too, Dr. Sproul.

And he who was seated on the throne said,

“Behold, I am making all things new.”

Also he said, “Write this down,

for these words are trustworthy and true.”

- Revelation 21:5 -

My Heart Is Deeper Than You'll Ever Know

The last 24 hours have been full of emotion for me, and for a few others as well. Yesterday morning I visited a couple who have been married for 59 years, and have been members of our church for more than 35 years. The wife has been suffering from cancer and, together with her husband, decided it was time to go on hospice. That same day, the same decision was made by another elderly couple in reference to the husband, who also has been suffering from cancer.

And to top it all off, my wife and I decided yesterday that today would be the day that we would lay our beloved beagle, Buster, to rest. He's been our family pet for 13 years. Our five children were between the ages of 3 and 11 when we brought Buster home as a young pup. Now my kids are all grown up.

As I thought about this sad turn of events over the course of the last day -- a husband and wife getting ready to part ways, a son saying goodbye to his dad, a family burying their beloved pet -- it hit me that each person goes through his or her private pain in his or her own way. The same could be said for the times of celebration. The book of Proverbs states the matter clearly:

Each heart knows its own bitterness,

and no one else can share its joy.

- Proverbs 14:10 -

I appreciate the way The Expositor's Bible devotes a lengthy treatment to this verse. But unless you or someone extremely close to you is in the throes of heartache at this present season, you probably won't bother to read the extended commentary below. Nevertheless, I'm posting select portions of it below, for those who can appreciate the language and tenor of these devotional insights:

WE know each other’s appearance, it is true, but there, for the most part, our mutual knowledge ceases. Some of us unveil nothing of ourselves to anyone; some of us unveil a little to all; some a good deal to a few; but none of us can unveil all even to the most intimate friend. It is possible to live on terms of complete confidence and even close intimacy with a person for many years, to become thoroughly acquainted with his habits, his turns of expression, his modes of thought, to be able to say with a certain infallibility what course he will take in such and such circumstances-and yet to find by some chance uplifting of a curtain in his life that he cherished feelings which you never even suspected, suffered pains of which you had seen no trace, and enjoyed pleasures which never came to any outward expression.

How true this is we realize at once if we turn inwards and review all the thoughts which chase each other through our brain, and all the emotions which throb in our heart for a single day, and then deduct those which are known to any human being, known or even suspected; the sum total we find is hardly affected at all. We are quite startled to discover how absolutely alone we live, how impossible it is for a stranger, or even for an intimate friend, to meddle with more than a fragment of our inner life. This is not because we have any wish to conceal, but rather because we are not able to reveal, our silent unseen selves: it is not because others would not like to know, but because they have not the instruments to investigate, that within us which we on our part arc quite helpless to express.

This is not because we have any wish to conceal, but rather because we are not able to reveal, our silent unseen selves.

The circumstances of a man’s life do not give us any clue to his sorrows; the rich have troubles which to the poor would seem incredible, and the poor have troubles which their poverty does not explain. There are little constitutional ailments, defects in the blood, slight deformities, unobserved disabilities, which fill the heart with a bitterness untold and unimaginable. There are crosses of the affections, disappointments of the ambitions; there are frets of the family, worries of business; there are the haunting furies of past indiscretions, the pitiless reminders of half-forgotten pledges. There are weary doubts and misgivings, suspicions and fears, which poison all inward peace, and take light out of the eye and elasticity out of the step. These things the heart knows, but no one else knows.

What adds to the pathos is that these sorrows are often covered with laughter as with a veil, and no one suspects that the end of all this apparently spontaneous mirth is to be heaviness. [Proverbs 14:13]

The bitterness which surges in our brother’s heart would probably be unintelligible to us if he revealed it; but he will not reveal it, he cannot. He will tell us some of his troubles, many of them, but the bitterness he must keep to himself.

How strange it seems! Here are men and women around us who are unfathomable; the heart is a kind of infinite; we skim the surface, we cannot sound the depths. 

We are confined as it were to the superficial effects, the lights and shadows which cross the face, and the feelings which express themselves in the tones of the voice. We can guess a little of what lies underneath, but our guesses are as often wrong as right. 

It has been very truly said, "Man is only partially understood, or pitied, or loved by man; but for the fullness of these things he must go to some far-off country." In proportion as we are conscious of being misunderstood, and of being quite unable to satisfy our longing for sympathy and comprehension at human fountains, we are impelled by a spiritual instinct to ask for God....

Have we not found a solution of the paradox? The human heart is isolated; it longs for sympathy, but cannot obtain it; it seems to depend for its happiness on being comprehended, but no fellow-creature can comprehend it; it knows its own bitterness, which no one else can know; it broods over its own joys, but no one can share them. Then it makes discovery of the truth that God can give it what it requires, that He fully understands, that He can enter into all these silent thoughts and unobserved emotions, that He can offer an unfailing sympathy and a faultless comprehension. In its need the lonely heart takes refuge in Him, and makes no murmur that His coming requires the searching, the chastisement, and the purging of sin.

No human being needs to be misunderstood or to suffer under the sense of misunderstanding. Let him turn at once to God. It is childish to murmur against our fellows, who only treat us as we treat them; they do not comprehend us, neither do we comprehend them; they do not give us, as we think, our due, neither do we give them theirs; but God comprehends both them and us, and He gives to them and to us accurately what is due.

No human being is compelled to bear his bitterness alone, for though he cannot tell it or explain to his fellows, he can tell it, and he need not explain it, to God. Is the bitterness an outcome of sin, as most of our bitterness is? Is it the bitterness of a wounded egotism, or of a remorseful conscience, or of spiritual despondency? Or is it the bitterness which springs from the cravings of an unsatisfied heart, the thirst for self-completeness, the longing for a perfect love? In either case God is perfectly able and willing to meet the need. He delights to turn His knowledge of our nature to the purpose of cleansing and transforming the sinful heart: "By His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many," He says. He is ready, too, to shed abroad His own rich love in our hearts, leaving no room for the hankering desire, and creating the peace of a complete fulfillment.

Finally, no human being need be without a sharer of his joy: and that is a great consideration, for joy unshared quickly dies, and is from the beginning haunted by a vague sense of shadow that is falling upon it. In the heart of the Eternal dwells eternal joy. All loveliness, all sweetness, all goodness, all truth, are the objects of His happy contemplation; therefore every really joyful heart has an immediate sympathizer in God; and prayer is quite as much the means by which we share our gladness as the vehicle by which we convey our sorrows to the Divine heart. 

Pastor vs. President

"Leading a family of faith is the hardest job in America. Some people might say being the president is hardest. But I think the president should try leading a local church for a while. He’ll probably be happy to get back to being the president after that. It’s a daunting task for anyone. It’s the highest calling and the most challenging opportunity." - Louie Giglio

http://www.outreachmagazine.com/interviews/16578-louie-giglio-passion-for-a-generation-part-1.html/2

How a Dead Evangelist Can Help Us With Daily Examination

For the last few weeks my spiritual life has been greatly enhanced by Tim Keller's book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God.

One feature I've appreciated about Keller's book is his emphasis on biblical, cross-focused meditation. His exposition of Psalm 1 in this regard is outstanding.

But that's not my primary emphasis for this post. Rather, I want to share how the right kind of cross-centered meditation can help us to examine ourselves, confess our sin, and experience God's forgiveness. The bulk of what appears below is a summation of chapter 13, which is titled "Free Forgiveness; Infinite Cost."

Exodus 34:6-7 says that God "maintains love to thousands, and forgives wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished." Based on the back-to-back statements in these verses, Keller rightly declares, "God is forgiving yet also is so holy that he cannot let injustice and wickedness go unpunished." How can God maintain both his holiness and love in forgiving sinners? The answer is the cross of Jesus Christ. "Because of the Cross, God can be both just toward sin and yet mercifully justifying to sinners."

This is an amazing truth! Pay attention closely now to what Keller writes:

It means that no son can now bring us into condemnation, because of Christ's atoning sacrifice. It also means that sin is so serious and grievous to God that Jesus had to die. We must recognize both of these aspects of God's grace or we will lapse into one or the other of two fatal errors. Either we will think forgiveness is easy for God to give, or we will doubt the reality and thoroughness of our pardon. 

Both mistakes are spiritually deadly. To lose our grip on the costliness of forgiveness will result in a superficial, perfunctory confession that does not lead to any real change of heart. There will be no life-change. To lose our grip on the freeness of forgiveness, however, will lead to continued guilt, shame, and self-loathing. There will be no relief. Only when we see both the freeness and the cost of forgiveness will we get relief from the guilt as well as the liberation from the power of sin in our lives.

You'll have to read Keller's book to see how he expounds this principle in a compelling manner. But for the purpose of this article I want to show a quote he utilized by the 18th century evangelist George Whitefield:

God give me a deep humility,

a well-guided zeal,

a burning love

and a single eye,

and then let men or devils do their worst!

"Those four features," writes Keller, "make a good summary of the Christian life. Here is how we could turn the four features into a daily self-examination." (The following section is comprised of Keller's own words.)

Deep humility. Examination: Have I looked down on anyone? Have I been too stung by criticism? Have I felt snubbed and ignored? Consider the free grace of Jesus until I sense (a) decreasing disdain, since I am a sinner too, and (b) decreasing pain over criticism, since I should not value human approval over God's love. In light of his grace, I can let go of the need to keep up a good image--it is too great a burden and is now unnecessary. I reflect on free grace until I experience grateful, restful joy.

A well-guided zeal. Examination: Have I avoided other people or tasks that I know I should face? Have I been anxious and worried? Have I failed to be circumspect, or have I been rash and impulsive? Consider the free grace of Jesus until there is (a) no cowardly avoidance of hard things, since Jesus faced evil for me, and (b) no anxious or rash behavior, since Jesus' death proves that God cares and will watch over me. It takes pride to be anxious, and I recognize I am not wise enough to know how my life should go. I reflect on free grace until I experience calm thoughtfulness and strategic boldness.

A burning love. Examination: Have I spoken or thought unkindly of anyone? Am I justifying myself by caricaturing someone else in my mind? Have I been impatient and irritable? Have I been self-absorbed, indifferent, and inattentive to people? Consider the free grace of Jesus until there is (a) no coldness or unkindness, as I think of the sacrificial love of Christ for me, (b) no impatience, as I think of his patience with me, and (c) no indifference, as I think of how God is infinitely attentive to me. I reflect on free grace until I feel some warmth and affection.

A "single" eye. Examination: Am I doing what I do for God's glory and the good of others, or am I being driven by fears, need for approval, love of comfort and ease, need for control, hunger for acclaim and power, or the fear of other people? (Luke 12:4-5). Am I looking at anyone with envy? Am I giving in to even the first motions of sexual lust or gluttony? Am I spending my time on urgent things rather than important things because of these inordinate desires? Consider how the free grace of Jesus provides me with what I am looking for in these other things.

Keller then concludes, "Perhaps the most life-giving and crucial part of repentance is found in using the joy and benefits of the gospel to both convict and assure you at the same time."

I agree and can testify that my own time with the Lord has been greatly enhanced by Whitefield's quote as a platform for such thought-provoking questions. When we truly give ourselves to self-examination and heartfelt confession, then we experience more fully the wonder of God's forgiveness and the joy it brings.

Seven Ways to Glorify God

Yesterday I preached a sermon titled "Give God the Glory" based on Acts 12:20-24:

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
24 But the word of God increased and multiplied.

Herod learned the hard way that you can't fight God and win. You can't steal glory from God and get away with it. Those who want glory for themselves are at war against God, and will lose.

The Bible says, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). That is an all-encompassing command. It applies to every facet of our lives. Still, I find it helpful to look at specific ways in which Scripture tells us that we can give glory to God. The following list is not a comprehensive list, but it's a helpful start. What I did was look up, in a typical English translation, all the Scripture passages that use the expression "glorify" God or "give glory" to God. These texts gave us seven specific ways that we can be intentional about doing so.

1.  Praise God when he gets you through a trial. 

The Lord says in Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." If you pray, asking God to see you through a trial, then be sure to praise him when he does! Don't stay silent about it; tell others what great things God has done for you. That brings him glory!

2.  Treasure the Word of God.

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). We show God how much we treasure his Word when we trust and obey him, when we act in faith on what we've heard. The psalmist declared, "You have exalted above all things your name and your word" (Ps. 138:2). Therefore, we exalt God when we embrace his Word.

3.  Desire and celebrate the salvation of all peoples. 

“All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name” (Psalm 86:9). God calls all nations and peoples to join in the holy joy that he offers. This leaves no room for racism or prejudice in our hearts. God loves and welcomes people of all ethnicities into his family. We glorify God when we do the same.

4.  Pursue sexual purity.

“For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20). Though this verse could apply to a number of areas regarding the physical stewardship of our bodies, such as proper eating, exercise, sleep, etc., the surrounding context of that particular verse has to do with sexual purity. God has designed sex to take place in marriage between husband and wife. Anything outside of that, such as premarital sex or adultery, dishonors him by failing to reflect the beauty and purity of the gospel.

I want to camp out on this point for a couple of paragraphs because of the prevalence of pornography, especially among men. Pornography glorifies oneself rather than God. There is a close connection between pornography and pride. In his book, Finally Free, Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace, Heath Lambert states, “Only arrogant men look at pornography” (p. 108).

Men look at pornography out of an arrogant desire to see women in a way that God does not allow. They show arrogant defiance to God's commands, rejecting the delight of sexual intimacy in marriage and deciding for themselves what they believe is better — looking at naked women in porn. They show arrogant disregard for God's call to selfless marital love. They show arrogant derision for the female actresses whom they should be seeking to respect as women who need to hear the good news of Jesus. They show arrogant disdain for their own children by hiding their sin and inviting the enemy into their home and their marriage. They show arrogant disrespect toward all those who would be scandalized if their sin were known. The root problem with men who look at porn is not neediness — it is arrogance.

- Finally Free, p. 110

While these are strong words, Lambert is careful to remind us in his book that every instance of lustful gawking is paid for by Jesus in his death for sinners, and that Jesus’ grace to rescue and change us is stronger than pornography’s power to control and destroy us. As we lay hold of God’s grace in our fight for sexual purity, we glorify Christ.

5.  Give generously from a yielded heart. 

Scripture encourages us to give to those in need, especially fellow Christians: “As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ” (2 Cor. 9:13 NLT). When we give generously to those in need, we reflect the love and kindness of God as revealed through the gospel. God gave his most precious gift – his one and only Son – to meet our greatest need: forgiveness. Giving generously and sacrificially to people in need is yet another way to give God glory.

6.  Suffer graciously as a Christian.

“But if anyone suffers as a ‘Christian,’ he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name” (1 Peter 4:16). Acts 11:26 says, "And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians." It was meant to be a term of derision, but Jesus' followers wore it as a badge of honor. So should we, even if we have to suffer for it. When we patiently endure suffering as Christians, we show Jesus that he is worth it. That glorifies him.

7.  Confess, rather than cover up, your sin. 

Do you remember Joshua and the battle of Jericho in Joshua chapter 6? Do you remember a man named Achan and what he did during the battle? He stole some goods that were dedicated to God. Achan hid them in an attempt to cover up his sin. But God exposed Achan's sin. “Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me” (Joshua 7:19). The Lord is the "God of truth" (Isa. 65:16), whereas the devil is the "father of lies" (John 8:44). Thus Scripture says, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy" (Prov. 28:13). Confession is good for the soul, but it also brings glory to God.

As I stated earlier, this list of seven ways to glorify God is not exhaustive, but it's a good place to start.