Category: Weekly Word of Encouragement

“we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit…” II Cor. 4:14-15a (NIV) This passage repeats two important promises the Paul mentioned earlier. In I Cor. 13:12 Paul promises that we will see Jesus “face to face” and in I Cor. 15:49 Paul explains that we will have a new body in the image of “the heavenly man.” Now Paul repeats this by saying that God will raise us and bring us into His presence. Paul repeats these promises because it is essential to our happiness that we believe and dwell on them. God will present us to Himself – like a bride presented to the wedding guests on her wedding day (Eph 5:22-32). We can’t let our daily tasks cloud our vision of our future with Him. Overcoming Continue Reading →

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” II Cor. 3:18. We do not have a veil over our face that keeps us from seeing the Lord’s glory. Rather, we behold his glory even now (though dimly, I Cor. 13:12) and this contemplation of the Lord (which refers to Christ, see I Cor. 4:4-6) continually transforms us so that we look like him. Thus, we are encouraged that we are actually becoming more and more like Jesus as we keep our eyes on him. The transformation and unity with him that we so deeply desire is actually coming to pass. Application: pick one or two words from the verse that help you and repeat it to yourself throughout the day or week. Overcoming A Fault That’s Beyond Your CharacterJanuary 23, Continue Reading →

“And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” I Cor. 15:49 (NIV)  II Cor. 5:1 states this in another way: “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (ESV) After Christ returns he will give us a new glorified body like his. This body will be immune to all disease and damage. We will never be concerned about cancer, heart disease, or dementia. We will never buy health insurance, go to the doctor or take vitamins. We will not have to shower or do personal grooming. We will be able to play, create, and socialize forever without ever wearing out. Our body will be beautiful and a constant source of joy.   Application: pick one Continue Reading →

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” I Cor. 15:22-23 (NIV) It is interesting that Paul says those in Christ “will” be made alive; it is in the future. But we are also alive now; Romans 6:11 states “count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” So this is an example of the “already/not yet” theme in the New Testament. It is encouraging to know that if we think we are alive now, we will really be alive when Jesus comes. When something thrilling happens in our life we might say “I never felt more alive.” But when Jesus comes we will experience that a hundredfold more! Application: pick one or two words from the verse that help you and repeat it to Continue Reading →

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.” I Cor. 13:12 (NIV) When Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980 I heard that I could see the plumes of smokes and ash if I looked to the south. But I didn’t just sit contently in my living room. I wanted to see it for myself. I went outside and sure enough I could the huge dark plume over 100 miles away. It was incredible to know that an explosion the size of a nuclear bomb had disintegrated the peak of a mountain – and I could see it with my own eyes. Seeing it made it more real, even though I believed it was there whether I saw it or not. Likewise, we see reflections of Jesus now, but one day we will see face to face. And that will be the greatest Continue Reading →