May 15th 2016
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Transform Our Lowly Bodies So That They Will Be Like His Glorious Body.
Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Are you ready to be transformed to be more like Jesus? Christians often profess that they are working on becoming more Christ-like. When you die your earthly body begins to break down, and it finally becomes no more than dust. Some people have their body cremated, and thus, their body becomes ashes. Some people chose to have their body preserved, but this earthly body will never again be alive. Even when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, he would still die again, and then his body would have been broken down into the basic form of dust.
Most of mankind holds a hope that “our citizenship is in heaven,” when we die. Most of us do not want to have to do anything to attain this hope. We want to live however we want and then we think we should just get to go to heaven, or whatever name some religions may call this final rewards place. As Christians we believe that heaven is awarded to all of us who believe Jesus is who He said He is, and then we are awarded heaven through grace. This belief is based on your faith, and that we actually do have an immortal soul, which was created in all of mankind by Jesus!
You may have noticed the selected verses for today’s VOW starts with the word “But.” So what did Paul write just before these verses? Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. (Philippians 3:19) Then we read, “But our citizenship is in heaven.” What does your mind dwell on? In a regular day how often do you really think of Jesus, is there room for Him in your thoughts, or are you transfixed on what the world has to offer? Are your possessions looming in your mind, and this stuff is so important to you that there just isn’t really any mental room left for Jesus? How is working on becoming more Christ-like going for you?
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you do not have to be perfect, just yet! We need some Good News too, not wanting to leave you feeling doom and gloom. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:2-4) Did you get that, there are better times coming for those who love Jesus. “What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him!” Looking forward to that new and glorified body, when “we shall be like him!” Paul also wrote, And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:49)
Paul also wrote, For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Note we do not have to die first to get a reward for following Jesus, we get “the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption.” The Holy Spirit is given immediately when you accept the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on your behalf. Yes, you get this reward in this lifetime.
God has told us in His Scriptures that He created all of mankind in His image and likeness. Can you love your neighbor as Jesus did? Jesus died for all of mankind! Can you be a Good Samaritan? In that story Jesus asked “The expert in the law” to decide who was his neighbor, based upon how the man in this story treated the man in need. "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:36-37) Can you show mercy to any member of mankind that is in need? Do they have to look like you before you are willing to help them? Remember, you were both created in the image and likeness of Jesus.
One of the purposes of the body of Christ is to bear one another’s burdens. Are you a member of the body of Christ? Do you have to attend a church of your choice before you can claim to be a member of the body of Christ? Yes, I believe you do! What do you believe? To be on the lamb’s side, there are certain expectations. Jesus said to those on His right, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. (Matthew 25:35-36) Jesus expects His disciples to help their neighbors who needed help. Jesus considers helping others to be like help Him directly, even when they may be the least of these!
Salvation is a free gift, but Jesus expects those who have received it to be willing to help their neighbor who needs their help. We should do this just because it is needed, but we should be open about doing it too. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:16-17) Make sure everyone knows that helping your neighbor is an outpouring of your salvation; you just cannot help but to do it!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Are you ready to be transformed to be more like Jesus? Christians often profess that they are working on becoming more Christ-like. When you die your earthly body begins to break down, and it finally becomes no more than dust. Some people have their body cremated, and thus, their body becomes ashes. Some people chose to have their body preserved, but this earthly body will never again be alive. Even when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, he would still die again, and then his body would have been broken down into the basic form of dust.
Most of mankind holds a hope that “our citizenship is in heaven,” when we die. Most of us do not want to have to do anything to attain this hope. We want to live however we want and then we think we should just get to go to heaven, or whatever name some religions may call this final rewards place. As Christians we believe that heaven is awarded to all of us who believe Jesus is who He said He is, and then we are awarded heaven through grace. This belief is based on your faith, and that we actually do have an immortal soul, which was created in all of mankind by Jesus!
You may have noticed the selected verses for today’s VOW starts with the word “But.” So what did Paul write just before these verses? Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. (Philippians 3:19) Then we read, “But our citizenship is in heaven.” What does your mind dwell on? In a regular day how often do you really think of Jesus, is there room for Him in your thoughts, or are you transfixed on what the world has to offer? Are your possessions looming in your mind, and this stuff is so important to you that there just isn’t really any mental room left for Jesus? How is working on becoming more Christ-like going for you?
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you do not have to be perfect, just yet! We need some Good News too, not wanting to leave you feeling doom and gloom. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:2-4) Did you get that, there are better times coming for those who love Jesus. “What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him!” Looking forward to that new and glorified body, when “we shall be like him!” Paul also wrote, And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:49)
Paul also wrote, For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Note we do not have to die first to get a reward for following Jesus, we get “the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption.” The Holy Spirit is given immediately when you accept the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on your behalf. Yes, you get this reward in this lifetime.
God has told us in His Scriptures that He created all of mankind in His image and likeness. Can you love your neighbor as Jesus did? Jesus died for all of mankind! Can you be a Good Samaritan? In that story Jesus asked “The expert in the law” to decide who was his neighbor, based upon how the man in this story treated the man in need. "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:36-37) Can you show mercy to any member of mankind that is in need? Do they have to look like you before you are willing to help them? Remember, you were both created in the image and likeness of Jesus.
One of the purposes of the body of Christ is to bear one another’s burdens. Are you a member of the body of Christ? Do you have to attend a church of your choice before you can claim to be a member of the body of Christ? Yes, I believe you do! What do you believe? To be on the lamb’s side, there are certain expectations. Jesus said to those on His right, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. (Matthew 25:35-36) Jesus expects His disciples to help their neighbors who needed help. Jesus considers helping others to be like help Him directly, even when they may be the least of these!
Salvation is a free gift, but Jesus expects those who have received it to be willing to help their neighbor who needs their help. We should do this just because it is needed, but we should be open about doing it too. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:16-17) Make sure everyone knows that helping your neighbor is an outpouring of your salvation; you just cannot help but to do it!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|