By faith the believer not only believes that the Lord is God, but also "...that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," HEB 11:6. The Lord Jesus Christ who is "the author and finisher of our faith...endured the cross, despising the shame," with His eye of faith fixed upon "the joy that was set before him," HEB 12:2.

We must learn to look unto the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ in our saddest hour. Then we will find that our afflictions become very small as our eye is on the reward instead of present circumstances. Scripture admonishes us to turn our eyes upon the reward. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal," 2CO 4:17-18.

We must follow the footsteps of Christ, the Shepherd and Bishop of our soul, 1PE 2:25, if we expect to enter glory! It was by the way of the cross that He entered glory. See how He reproved His own disciples when they refused to believe after His resurrection. "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" LUK 24:25-26.

As we follow our blessed Shepherd in the way of the cross, we will find that the way to glory is through the valley of humiliation. HEB 2:9-10 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

It is shear folly to imagine that we should enter glory before we have had fellowship in His reproach and suffering. 2TI 2:10-12 says, "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us."

The promises are to those who overcome. If we are to fellowship with Christ in His glory, we must first fellowship in His reproach and suffering. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together," ROM 8:16-17.

Christ sought the glory of His Father ahead of His own. In JOH 17:1 our Saviour pleaded before His Father, "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son [but this was not a selfish prayer--He goes on to say why!], that thy Son also may glorify thee:"

Now that Christ has glorified His Father with such unconditional, humble obedience, the Father finds His ultimate glory in rewarding His Son by glorifying Him. PHI 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The eternal theme of glory for all the saints will be to bow at the NAME of authority the Father has given unto JESUS as we see revealed in REV 5:9-13. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

The greatest part of our reward of faith will be to have the throne of the KING of kings of glory established upon the throne of our hearts. This begins in this life, and will be proclaimed throughout all eternity.

REV 5:13 says, "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Amen.