If heaven is real, if it is the utopia that we hope for, if it is a place of eternal bliss in an immortal, powerful, spiritual body, then experiencing the uncertainty and trials that we face now is in fact a “light affliction” in comparison.
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17)
The way our “affliction” is “working for us” is simply that in order for us to get to heaven, we must be born into this “present evil age” and go through some time in this hell of a world in which we live that ends for us all in death. The path to heaven is through this "evil age" to be rescued AFTER we die to an "eternal weight of glory".
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father…” (Galatians 1:3-5)
It is God’s “will” to do just that, and the means by which He does so is the return of Jesus the Savior to save us by resurrecting the dead.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
Is heaven real? I don’t know for sure yet, but the Bible says it is and I have chosen to have faith in what it says. For there is no hope or comfort in the alternative.
“…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
Our hope and source of peace and comfort is that the Bible is true, that Christ has been resurrected, the first fruit, and the harvest of all mankind will follow…
“…Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
For my wife, children and grandchildren..and anyone else who may be interested!
The Word Became Flesh
"The Word became flesh...the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of GRACE and truth...The law was given through Moses; GRACE and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:14-17 NIV)
As righteous as the Law of Moses was, it came to us through Moses and the result was that it put us in bondage and we all die as sinners.
"For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the Law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death. But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the Law, so that we serve the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code...the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death" (Romans 7:6-11 NASB)
Jesus came to earth with the GRACE of God, to save all sinners with the free gift of eternal life.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22NASB)
As righteous as the Law of Moses was, it came to us through Moses and the result was that it put us in bondage and we all die as sinners.
"For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the Law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death. But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the Law, so that we serve the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code...the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death" (Romans 7:6-11 NASB)
Jesus came to earth with the GRACE of God, to save all sinners with the free gift of eternal life.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22NASB)
The Appearance of Salvation
"For the saving GRACE of God made its appearance to all humanity..." (Titus 2:11 CLNT)
The "saving GRACE" of God is for ALL. It is NOT offered to mankind but has "appeared to all humanity" as a free gift. And because it is freely given by GRACE, none of us sinners have any say in the matter...
The "saving GRACE" of God is for ALL. It is NOT offered to mankind but has "appeared to all humanity" as a free gift. And because it is freely given by GRACE, none of us sinners have any say in the matter...
"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24)
You will not find this truth in a church but you do find it in the Bible, and when you find it, and believe it, you start "training" to become a better person...
"For the saving GRACE of God made its appearance to all humanity, training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon..." (Titus 2:11-12 CLNT)
"For the saving GRACE of God made its appearance to all humanity, training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon..." (Titus 2:11-12 CLNT)
The knowledge and faith that we are saved as a free gift of God's grace will change our attitude toward God to one of sanity and will allow us to be grateful to God while joyfully looking forward the return of Jesus, "our blessed hope"...
"...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession...We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (Titus 2:11-14 NASB; John 4:44 NASB)
The gospel message I grew up hearing is flawed in that it requires people to accept the offer of salvation and thus save themselves through works, or faith, or a combination of both.
Mankind's only hope lies in God's GRACE to save the world for free, and He sent Jesus to show us how He intends to do so. When we believe this good news, that knowledge enables us to live righteously in this present age in peace and joy, optimistic about the future Victory, rather than in fear of future doom...
“As in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive…death is swallowed up in Victory!..He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, 55; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
"...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession...We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (Titus 2:11-14 NASB; John 4:44 NASB)
The gospel message I grew up hearing is flawed in that it requires people to accept the offer of salvation and thus save themselves through works, or faith, or a combination of both.
Mankind's only hope lies in God's GRACE to save the world for free, and He sent Jesus to show us how He intends to do so. When we believe this good news, that knowledge enables us to live righteously in this present age in peace and joy, optimistic about the future Victory, rather than in fear of future doom...
The Sequel
"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)
All of us have an outer shell that is decaying. In other words, it is dying. And as we grow older our "outer man" will suffer all kinds of aches and pain. But it will only seem a "light affliction" when we receive what has been promised in the next. The promise of this "sequel" enables us not to lose heart as we see loved ones suffer, or experience affliction ourselves.
"No trial has taken you except what is human. Now, faithful is God, Who will not be leaving you to be tried above what you are able, but, together with the trial, will be making the sequel also, to enable you to undergo it." (1 Corinthians 10:13 CLNT)
So we just have to suck it up and trust that it is necessary to suffer now in order to appreciate our future Glory in God's grand Sequel!
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)
All of us have an outer shell that is decaying. In other words, it is dying. And as we grow older our "outer man" will suffer all kinds of aches and pain. But it will only seem a "light affliction" when we receive what has been promised in the next. The promise of this "sequel" enables us not to lose heart as we see loved ones suffer, or experience affliction ourselves.
"No trial has taken you except what is human. Now, faithful is God, Who will not be leaving you to be tried above what you are able, but, together with the trial, will be making the sequel also, to enable you to undergo it." (1 Corinthians 10:13 CLNT)
So we just have to suck it up and trust that it is necessary to suffer now in order to appreciate our future Glory in God's grand Sequel!
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)
In The Beginning...
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth....The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Genesis1:1 - Revelation 22:21)
I enjoy reading the Bible and meditating on what it says. I cannot tell you why but it has been my passion for more than 40 years. It is is the most controversial and talked about book in the world. Millions of people meet each week all over the world claiming to follow its teachings yet never seem to come to a consensus of what that teaching is.
As much as I enjoy it, it has been time consuming for me to distinguish between what it actually says and what the church proclaims it to say. And after all those years of study it is clear to me that the above verses, representing the first and last verses of the Bible, is what I want my grand kids to know for sure.
God loves you and nothing you can do will ever change that. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He became a man and died just like all of us will die in order to show us what will happen after death. God raised Jesus from the dead and he ascended into heaven. God promised to send Jesus back someday to raise us all from death into a perfect and immortal life. Then together we will explore the wonders of the heavens which He created - that is the good news - allow it to give you hope, joy and peace in this troubled world.
I enjoy reading the Bible and meditating on what it says. I cannot tell you why but it has been my passion for more than 40 years. It is is the most controversial and talked about book in the world. Millions of people meet each week all over the world claiming to follow its teachings yet never seem to come to a consensus of what that teaching is.
As much as I enjoy it, it has been time consuming for me to distinguish between what it actually says and what the church proclaims it to say. And after all those years of study it is clear to me that the above verses, representing the first and last verses of the Bible, is what I want my grand kids to know for sure.
1. God is the creator of all things
2. The Grace of Jesus, the Son of God, is with all mankind.
I do not want my grand kids to get their understanding of God and his Grace from man made creeds or doctrines, nor from faulty translations and paraphrases of the bible - and they are many.
I would prefer they get their knowledge of God from a sunset or sunrise. From looking into a clear starry night and wondering at the beauty and vastness of space and the wonder of a God who could create such a complex and beautiful place. From looking at insects, reptiles, birds, fish and animals - and wonder at the beauty of creation and its Creator - like most humans who have ever lived. To look around and look up and proclaim...
"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens...When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8)
But I know they will encounter much in Christian doctrine that will tend to distort the truth about God. So I write down in this blog and tell them what I believe to be the truth about God which I find in the Bible. That truth is summarized follows:
I do not want my grand kids to get their understanding of God and his Grace from man made creeds or doctrines, nor from faulty translations and paraphrases of the bible - and they are many.
I would prefer they get their knowledge of God from a sunset or sunrise. From looking into a clear starry night and wondering at the beauty and vastness of space and the wonder of a God who could create such a complex and beautiful place. From looking at insects, reptiles, birds, fish and animals - and wonder at the beauty of creation and its Creator - like most humans who have ever lived. To look around and look up and proclaim...
"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens...When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8)
But I know they will encounter much in Christian doctrine that will tend to distort the truth about God. So I write down in this blog and tell them what I believe to be the truth about God which I find in the Bible. That truth is summarized follows:
God loves you and nothing you can do will ever change that. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He became a man and died just like all of us will die in order to show us what will happen after death. God raised Jesus from the dead and he ascended into heaven. God promised to send Jesus back someday to raise us all from death into a perfect and immortal life. Then together we will explore the wonders of the heavens which He created - that is the good news - allow it to give you hope, joy and peace in this troubled world.
Sunday School
The church in which I was raised has a meeting each Sunday morning which is called “Sunday School”. It is assumed that we attend to study the Bible. However, the truth is that it is a place where the denominational beliefs are studied and various bible verses are read to attempt to prove that doctrine. This teaching method is true of every church group I have read about, whether Catholic or Protestant.
We are not taught to think and reason with regard to the truth, but to simply believe what we are told is the truth. "Thinking and reasoning" about what we read in the Scripture is very rare among Christians today. If people would actually think logically about what they are told is truth we could eliminate the horrible false doctrines in our churches. The following is an example:
The doctrine of “substitution” is taught in most churches. We are taught that Christ Jesus is our substitute in regard to judgment for sin. It says Jesus paid for sin so we do not have to pay for sin, and that he suffered so that we do not have to suffer. The bible however, says no such thing.
We are not taught to think and reason with regard to the truth, but to simply believe what we are told is the truth. "Thinking and reasoning" about what we read in the Scripture is very rare among Christians today. If people would actually think logically about what they are told is truth we could eliminate the horrible false doctrines in our churches. The following is an example:
The doctrine of “substitution” is taught in most churches. We are taught that Christ Jesus is our substitute in regard to judgment for sin. It says Jesus paid for sin so we do not have to pay for sin, and that he suffered so that we do not have to suffer. The bible however, says no such thing.
Think about that doctrine of "substitution" logically and observe reality. Reality shows that just as Jesus died, so do all of us die. Just as Jesus suffered that death, so do we all suffer in the dying process. And that logical, reasoned reality is what the Bible actually teaches.
“This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, (die just as he died)
we will also live with Him; (be resurrected to life just as he was)
“This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, (die just as he died)
we will also live with Him; (be resurrected to life just as he was)
if we endure (suffer the dying process)
we will also reign with him; (after our resurrection)
if we deny him, (by believing false doctrine)
he will also deny us (deny the fulfillment of that false doctrine)
if we are faithless, (refuse to believe the truth)
He remains faithful, (he will save us)
for He cannot deny Himself (that he is the savior of the world).
Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words; this is in no way profitable, and leads its listeners to ruin. Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:11-15)
The truth is in “ruin” because of false teaching. The false teaching does not change the faithfulness of God in doing what he says he will do to save mankind out of death by the resurrection to immortality, however, it robs mankind of the JOY of that good news, and prevents most people from giving God the Glory, at least in this age.
The truth is in “ruin” because of false teaching. The false teaching does not change the faithfulness of God in doing what he says he will do to save mankind out of death by the resurrection to immortality, however, it robs mankind of the JOY of that good news, and prevents most people from giving God the Glory, at least in this age.
In the next age, after our resurrection, all will give Glory to God for salvation from death. God sent His Son Jesus to earth in the form of a man to die with us and to demonstrate what follows…
“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father...For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (Philippians 2:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20)
“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father...For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (Philippians 2:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20)
The Hidden Good News
"But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Let’s be clear about some terms used above.
1. The "gospel" is the good news that there is life after death.
2. That good news is "veiled" to those who think in death they or others perish.
3. The term “perishing” means to die and stay dead.
4. Those "blinded" are those "who do not believe" that there is life after death for mankind.
The good news was and will always be hidden (veiled) to those who do not believe in life after death (the gospel). They are blinded by the present age where life does in fact come to an end in death. They do not believe that there is life after death.
The good news is also hidden to those of the various religions of the world. Though most adhere to some form or another of life after death, they limit the scope of that life to a few chosen devotees to that particular religion. Everyone else will perish, or far worse in some religious doctrine. Again, their minds are blinded to the fact that the good news of life after death is for all mankind and God intends to save all from death to life, from sinner to saint, from perishable flesh to imperishable spirit, from mortal to immortal, from a son of Adam to a son of God.
Christ Jesus was raised to show us the certainty of the good news. Don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself…
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep…For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive…Now if there is no resurrection…let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die…Do not be misled…the body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body...The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven…And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man… Listen, I tell you a mystery...we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable…When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory...thanks be to God! He gives us the victory...” (1 Corinthians 15:20-57)
Let’s be clear about some terms used above.
1. The "gospel" is the good news that there is life after death.
2. That good news is "veiled" to those who think in death they or others perish.
3. The term “perishing” means to die and stay dead.
4. Those "blinded" are those "who do not believe" that there is life after death for mankind.
The good news was and will always be hidden (veiled) to those who do not believe in life after death (the gospel). They are blinded by the present age where life does in fact come to an end in death. They do not believe that there is life after death.
The good news is also hidden to those of the various religions of the world. Though most adhere to some form or another of life after death, they limit the scope of that life to a few chosen devotees to that particular religion. Everyone else will perish, or far worse in some religious doctrine. Again, their minds are blinded to the fact that the good news of life after death is for all mankind and God intends to save all from death to life, from sinner to saint, from perishable flesh to imperishable spirit, from mortal to immortal, from a son of Adam to a son of God.
Christ Jesus was raised to show us the certainty of the good news. Don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself…
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep…For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive…Now if there is no resurrection…let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die…Do not be misled…the body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body...The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven…And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man… Listen, I tell you a mystery...we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable…When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory...thanks be to God! He gives us the victory...” (1 Corinthians 15:20-57)
Father Of Us All
“We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God”. (2 Corinthians 4:2)
Have you ever heard someone complain that “the preacher is just preaching what people want to hear”?
Generally it is when the preacher is focusing too much on the love and grace of God and not enough on “hell fire and brimstone”.
Have you ever heard someone complain that “the preacher is just preaching what people want to hear”?
Generally it is when the preacher is focusing too much on the love and grace of God and not enough on “hell fire and brimstone”.
Really? Now exactly how can someone overemphasize the love and grace of an omnipotent God who is characterized over and over as a FATHER - full of love, grace and mercy?
“The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning…Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever...I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Lamentations 3:22-23; Psalm 136; Romans 8:38-39)
What those folks are really saying is “the preacher is not preaching what I WANT to hear”. And usually it is someone who is a die in the wool denominational devotee who thinks everyone but their group is going to be eternally damned and should be told they need to "turn or burn".
Paul would have “renounced” such as “the hidden things of shame” used by those “handling the word of God deceitfully” trying to scare people into their churches.
People want to hear the good news because it is GOOD NEWS - not whatever you call the other stuff.
"God is love...There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (1 John 4:8; Ephesians 4:4-6)
“The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning…Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever...I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Lamentations 3:22-23; Psalm 136; Romans 8:38-39)
What those folks are really saying is “the preacher is not preaching what I WANT to hear”. And usually it is someone who is a die in the wool denominational devotee who thinks everyone but their group is going to be eternally damned and should be told they need to "turn or burn".
Paul would have “renounced” such as “the hidden things of shame” used by those “handling the word of God deceitfully” trying to scare people into their churches.
People want to hear the good news because it is GOOD NEWS - not whatever you call the other stuff.
"God is love...There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (1 John 4:8; Ephesians 4:4-6)
Theologically Constructed Boxes
"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."(2 Corinthians 3:17)
Ponder the above outside of some religiously constructed box because the bible is not the instruction book for some religion, it declares itself to be the very word of God, and if it is, which I have chosen to believe, then we should let the words in it speak for themselves to us without commentary from religious gurus.
So, “the Lord is Spirit”, and
“He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:27-28)
So every day we are living and moving and having our being in God. And where God is there is liberty - again - “liberty”, not bondage to some religious man made box of doctrines.
“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you...did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? ... It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 3:1-4; 5:1)
Ponder the above outside of some religiously constructed box because the bible is not the instruction book for some religion, it declares itself to be the very word of God, and if it is, which I have chosen to believe, then we should let the words in it speak for themselves to us without commentary from religious gurus.
So, “the Lord is Spirit”, and
“He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:27-28)
So every day we are living and moving and having our being in God. And where God is there is liberty - again - “liberty”, not bondage to some religious man made box of doctrines.
“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you...did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? ... It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 3:1-4; 5:1)
We've Got That Going For Us
“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24)
In the hilarious 1980 film Caddieshack, a mentally challenged greenskeeper played by Bill Murray summarizes his situation as follows:
"I may not have all, or even some, of my ducks in a row, but they are in the same pond, which is nice, I've got that going for me"
As we watch someone we love, or experience for ourselves what getting older does to our bodies, we sometimes become depressed and find it hard to look for the good in it all. In this temporary earthly “tent” in which we live, it is our destiny to struggle with sickness, pain and ultimately death. However, the bible promises us a new eternal “house” which will be ours at our resurrection from death.
“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1)
It will be “glorious”, not “wretched”, it will be immortal, not mortal, and in such an immortal, glorious body we no longer grow old, with its accompanying sickness, pain, and death. We will be saved…
“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 subject all things to himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)
For now we don't always have all or even some of our ducks in a row, but in Christ Jesus, they are all in the same pond....which is nice, we've got that going for us.
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Paul declared… “I am crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20) “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those wh...
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Jesus and his disciples were in the region of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus was 34 years old and had spent three and one half years with his di...
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God said... " By Myself I have sworn; Truth has gone from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to Me, every t...