heavenly body, shining

The Joy Of Our Future Christlike Bodies – Our Future Christformation Part 1

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After Jesus returns all our striving for Christformation will be over and we will finally enter our time of rest (Hebrews 4 and Rev. 14:13). Our internal struggle against sin will be complete and we will experience the overwhelming bliss of perfect peace. No possession on this present earth can come close to the value of our future Christformation. This is why God instructs us to “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13, ESV).  Christformation is promised many times in the New Testament. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29, ESV). 1 Corinthians 15:49 states: “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (ESV). Philippians 3:20-21 promises: “But Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Is With His People – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“God is present in the company of the righteous” Psalms 14:5 (NIV) God is everywhere but he is present in different ways in different places. We find this throughout the Bible. God is present in the burning bush, on Mt. Sinai, in the Temple, at the Transfiguration, and at Pentecost. But the last is best for God likes to progressively increase his grace. When the Psalmist wrote Psalm 14 God was more present to his followers than to those who rejected him. He watched them and helped them. But after Pentecost God is now present inside his followers because we replace the Temple. So now God is even present in a single righteous person! But even better than that: “Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” Matthew 18:20 (NIV). So when we gather in Jesus’ name his presence is magnified! This is something that Continue Reading →

Jesus coming

Why We Love The Coming Appearance Of Jesus

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After a life on earth of seeing Jesus “in a mirror dimly” we finally get to see him “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12, ESV). To see someone is to experience them. We want to see Jesus because we want to fully experience who he is. Why do we yearn to see a loved one whom we have been separated from even though we can talk to them on the phone? Because we want to fully experience them. We want to see their expressions, we want to see their reaction to us, we want to feel their presence. Likewise, we want to see Jesus, who is the human expression of the Father, because we want to see his goodness and the beauty of his perfection. Henry Suso imagines Jesus saying: “All and everything that thou and all men can possibly imagine of form, of elegance, and grace, is in Me Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God is King – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“The Lord is King for ever and ever,” Psalms 10:16 (NIV). In Psalms 10 the author recounts the ways in which the wicked destroy the innocent and prosper in their ways. Yet the Psalmist also declares that Yahweh is the true king of the earth. He also affirms that God will help the victims and do justice to the wicked. We may not be under attack from the wicked but we feel the impact of the ungodly ways of the people around us. Loved ones turn away from God and ministers mislead their congregations. We can offer help but we cannot stop the destruction. Yet God is king and he will redeem all that is his. He will bring everything to a just and good conclusion. If we are willing to trust his kingship then we can allow him to grace us with mercy and peace. We can let him Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Is Our Fortress – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Psalms 9:9 (NLT) In this world we will have troubles (John 16:33) but God’s promise is that he is our fortress in these times. What kind of fortress would God be? He created the universe with billions of galaxies and trillions of stars. If he is our castle, our defense, when trouble or oppression comes then who or what can break through that defense? Nothing. It is true that God allows suffering in this age of his inaugurated kingdom; he allows this for our Christformation and to shine his goodness to others. We must share in the sufferings of Christ. Yet in all these things, he still preserves us. “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil [one]” (2 Thess. 3:3, NIV). He makes all things work together Continue Reading →