18/ For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19/ Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their "shame." Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
20/ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
21/ He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus; through his hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by him. There is no getting to heaven as our home, but by Christ as our Way.
True believers, in seeking this assurance, as well as to glorify him, will seek more nearly to resemble his sufferings and death, by dying to sin, and by crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts. In these things there is a great difference among real Christians, but all know something of them.
Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world. If they differ from one another, and are not of the same judgment in lesser matters, yet they must not judge one another; while they all meet now in Christ, and hope to meet shortly in heaven. Let them join in all the great things in which they are agreed, and wait for further light as to lesser things wherein they differ.
The enemies of the cross of Christ mind nothing but their sensual appetites. Sin is the sinner's shame, especially when gloried in. The way of those who mind earthly things, may seem pleasant, but death and hell are at the end of it. If we choose their way, we shall share their end.
The life of a Christian is in heaven, where his Head and his home are, and where he hopes to be shortly; he sets his affections upon things above; and where his heart is, there will his conversation be. There is glory kept for the bodies of the saints, in which they will appear at the resurrection. Then the body will be made glorious; not only raised again to life, but raised to great advantage. Observe the power by which this change will be wrought.
May we be always prepared for the coming of our Judge; looking to have our vile bodies changed by his Almighty power, and applying to him daily to new-create our souls unto holiness; to deliver us from our enemies, and to employ our bodies and souls as instruments of righteousness in his service.
It is SO difficult for humanity to grasp what lies ahead, and the necessity of leaving all behind in deliberate focus of the fulfillment of PROMISE to the FAITHFUL! It is SO difficult to understand that we exist FOR THE LORD, and HIS WILL, and that what is of the world, will perish with the world, including those who placed their interests, desires, and intent upon what is of the world, OVER *GOD*, and HIS WILL! It is SO difficult for us to align, fully, to what we cannot see, though, we claim FAITH! Yet, THE LORD will NOT leave us without a WAY, or without guidance, or without a push when necessary! KNOWLEDGE IS CRUCIAL to our pressing forward, and we CAN'T obtain knowledge enough to understand, IF we DON'T devour, and digest THE WORD! There are many misinformed, and TOO much fluffing of pertinent points which assist us in managing allegiance to THE LORD *GOD*!!!
Let us PRAY ALWAYS, and be OPEN to RECEIVING what THE LORD SO LOVINGLY offers! Let us BLESS HIM, PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIS HOLY NAME, REJOICE in HIS LOVE for us, be THANKFUL, and may we HONOUR HIM in our ways, more so with increased centering on HIM!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2014
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
1 comment:
AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN, it comes down to LOVE; LOVE of THE LORD who gave HIS ALL for us, because HE SO LOVES us! In this LOVE we are prompted to act according to HIS WILL, it is quite natural to do so, though, since we are born quite reversed from what is innate of our spirit, it takes time, effort, devotion, and the opening UP to HIS guidance...
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