A Spiritual Body Our body shall die, then at the coming of the Lord it shall be raised. Or, if we live till Jesus comes, our body will be changed. Contemplate the words of the inspired apostle concerning our ‘new body’. Think about what a glorious hope God has given us. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:42-44). While we do not know all details, and cannot fully comprehend the power of God in our resurrection, we know that if we life faithful to the Lord our end will be a great blessing! This is the Christian hope! Becoming Children of God Those who believe have the right to become children of God (John 1:12). The right to become demonstrates that the person is not yet a child of God, but has the right or power to become a child of God. So when do we become children of God? We become children of God when we are born of God (John 1:13). This new birth comes sometime after we believe. This is the new birth Jesus told Nicodemus a person had to experience before they can see or enter the kingdom of God. What is it? It comes, as noted in the text above, after one believes. Paul answered the question. We rise to walk in newness of life through baptism (Romans 6:3, 4). Baptism is when we are born of God, it is the new birth. Through baptism the believer who has repented of his or her sins becomes a child of God. Exalting Our Nation Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Prov 14:34). A patriotic person desires the best for the nation. The best for any nation is righteousness, for God declares that righteousness exalts the nation. The church of our Lord is a blessing to every nation. Not because Christians are focused on political, social or economic issues but because we are righteous. Our influence will be felt all around. The simple presence of the church and her focus on her God given mission of preaching the gospel changes the hearts of multitudes. Changed hearts are seen in righteous lives. Righteous lives contribute to exalting nations. While nation building is not the business of the church, each nation is blessed by the church and her work of preaching God’s truths. Fishers of Men Peter, James and John left their profession as fishermen and followed Jesus to become fishers of men (Luke 5:10, 11). From that moment the lives of these men were forever changed. Today we are also called into the service of the Lord. One of our joys is to be ‘fishers of men’ too. The great commission given by the Lord calls each of us to make disciples of all nations. But, we must first be disciples! See Matthew 28:19-20. As we go through our daily activities we can and should teach others. Invite them to class and our assembly. Give them a passage or two on the questions they have or the subjects they talk about. Live the life Jesus has given us in order to encourage them. Remember, your work is for the salvation of their souls. You are a blessing to them as you teach them! Give Thanks “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6 NKJ). “Thank you” should be a frequent phrase used by each disciple of Jesus. These words should always be heartfelt. This is especially true when we pray. So many go to God with their requests, but how many go to God simply to thank him for all he has given them. And when we consider the gifts he has given, let us remember that in him we live and move and have our being. Our very life is a gift of God. In our interpersonal relationships, let us learn to easily, quickly and sincerely say “thank you.” Every deed of kindness makes our life better. Thank those who have been a blessing to you, and who are blessings to you. He is King and Priest Jesus ascended and now sits at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33). In this position he is head of the church, king of his kingdom (Eph. 1:22, 23; Col. 1:13). Each of us must remember that the Lord has complete authority. Jesus is our high priest (Heb. 2:1; 4:14-16). Some seem to have the idea that as our high priest he is our servant. That is not true. He goes to God for us, in our interest. But he still has all authority. We do not direct him, he directs us through the scripture. It is worthy to note that Paul viewed the high priest as a ‘ruler’ of the people (Acts 23:5). If the high priest on earth is worthy of respect, how much more Jesus our high priest. Rejoice in the fact that Jesus goes to God on our behalf, but remember his divine authority. We serve him, not he us. From Dave Hart The GOOD NEWS
Posted on: Sat, 10 May 2014 13:00:47 +0000
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