As the months belonging to 2021 continue to roll by, we sadly are witnessing growing conflicts world-wide, increasing calamities nationally, distressing circumstances locally, not to mention personal problems daily which seems no one is able to evade. And though we are aware of the hardships that we all are subject to on a regular basis, we still give God the praise because we know that He has a marvelous plan in effect and it is because of Him that we have any strength at all to get through these things that we are experiencing which have been prophesied in His Word. And not only do we praise Him, but we thank Him for knowing that, as bad as things can be, they won’t last forever. For the time is rapidly approaching when this will all end because a great change is coming.
As for us right now, though we are servants of Almighty God and we go about our daily lives trying to live decently and honestly in a manner that is pleasing to our Creator, we find that we still have to deal with the challenges presented by a difficult world that is full of difficult situations as well as difficult people. As a result, the trials and tribulations we endure sometimes feel overwhelming and at times can even seem unbearable. But we must be determined to fight on in Jesus' name remembering that we have been called to be a part of God’s plan of redemption for all mankind here on this earth. We have been chosen to be bearers of the Light of Christ in this dark, evil, corrupt and hateful world that we reside in.
Also, according to His Word, we understand that as this same world hated Jesus, it will hate us too. And take a good look around because the definition of "the world" could include anybody, even someone who may be close to you. Admittedly, this evil directed towards us can be very taxing mentally, psychologically and emotionally. It can even affect us physically and spiritually as well. Knowing this we have to wonder that after it’s all said and done, if all we've accomplished is to endure hardship and there is nothing else, then what have we actually gained? The Apostle Paul put it this way, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15: 19)
But, glory to God, we do have something to look forward to, not only in this life, but beyond. And why? Because Jesus, Who is our hope in both this life and the next, truly loves us. And He loved His disciples as well because He prayed to His Father in heaven on their behalf concerning their temporal trials. He said to our God, “And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17: 13-16)
These beautiful, powerful and glorious words were spoken not only for His disciples in that 1st century but for all of the servants of God throughout human history, including all of us today, as well as those who will come after us. Because Jesus was here from the beginning and is the same yesterday, today and forever, He intimately understands all of the difficulties we face daily and is so very sensitive and attentive to each of our needs.
Thank God that we most certainly do have hope both in and beyond this life according to His promise that one day our temporary earthly habitation will end and will usher in a glorious new era of eternal existence in the presence of our loving Father. And again, that's because a change is coming and when it happens we will rejoice with exceeding great joy because we are, more than anything, spiritual beings, and we will be released from the confines of this mortal body that gives us so much trouble. Right now our physical bodies make us transitory residents of planet earth. But our soul, which God Himself made, belongs to Him and supersedes our carnal citizenship. This identifies us as part of the permanent population of God’s Eternal Kingdom. Not by race, creed, color, nationality, age, gender, talent, wealth, intellect or ability. But only if our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
God says, “Behold, all souls are mine.” (Ezekiel 18: 4) So it should give us great comfort to know that we are the private, personal possession of the Creator of all things, realizing that in the beginning He did something that was absolutely awesome, which was this: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground…” (Genesis 2: 7) Just think about that for a second. Who can do that? No one and nothing but the immeasurable power and the creative genius of God. And as incredible as that was, He wasn’t done. He continued and did something else that was even more astonishing and stunningly spectacular. To His ultimate creation, which is us, He “...breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2: 7) Now let that soak in! Wow!
Of course we were created for a purpose and assigned a mission to accomplish during our time here on this globe. But we also have a divine destiny that beckons beyond our earthly pilgrimage. A destiny so wonderful that we can hardly take it in when we think of the coming glory which was planned for and is now being perfectly executed by our Father in heaven. A beautiful and a glorious plan with all of us in mind. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29: 11) And what will that end be? Well just imagine when this happens ..… “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21: 27) Hallelujah!!! Amen!!!
Okay everybody, calm down!
Oh yes, we praise God for His loving thoughts towards us. But our God is much, much more than just a thinker ..... He’s a doer! And just as God joined body and soul together in the beginning, in like manner, at His command, we will be separated from this decaying, decomposing mass of flesh we occupy that has no power to inherit eternity. And even though the thought of this homecoming is truly marvelous, we still have to live here right now. But God’s got it covered because He has graciously provided us with everything that we need to do the things that please Him. "According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" (2 Peter 1: 3)
Therefore our #1 priority should be to work here on this earth, conducting our Father’s business being “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthinans 15: 58) And we do this for how long? As scripture says, “… till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Genesis 3: 19) “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12: 7)
Of course there are always questions concerning this coming body/soul separation event so the Lord explains the process simply and beautifully in His Word ….. “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body.” (1 Corinthians 15: 35-38)
There’s an old saying that goes like this ….. “but we’re only human.” This is both incorrect and dangerous. And that’s because it presupposes that we have no access to abilities beyond our own limited carnal capacity and it discourages trust in God by meekly accepting the frailties of our humanity as evidence that we will always fail and can’t do any better. But God has seen to it that we all have something within us that makes us much more than mere inefficient, ineffective and inadequate individuals. It is by and through Him that we are human dynamos, spiritual thermo-nuclear power plants divinely designed to serve and glorify Him. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4: 7) You see, it’s not about us, it’s about God and what He can do through us. Where the ravages of sin would make us worthless, the redemptive power of the blood of Christ gives us strength from day to day to accomplish things that are beyond wonderful. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4: 13)
With God all things are possible and He is able to empower even our imperfect existence with supernatural skills and capabilities that defy the laws of nature and physics. Just ask Abraham who fathered a son at 100 years old. Or Moses who was given the ability to bring water from a rock in the desert. Or Samson who brought down a building with his bare hands. Or Elijah who called fire down from heaven. Or Elisha who raised a child from the dead. Or Peter who healed a man who was crippled from birth. Or Paul who survived not only being whipped, stoned and shipwrecked, but also being bitten by a deadly, poisonous serpent. Or those dear ones gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem who spoke in other languages they didn’t even know glorifying God. All ordinary human beings doing extraordinary and seemingly impossible things through the endowment of power by God.
But you really don’t have to ask them. Just ask yourself how God has put you in positions of favor you didn’t deserve, or healed you when you should have succumbed to a disease, or protected you when you were outnumbered and about to be overtaken, or carried you when you couldn’t go another step, or encouraged you when you had given up all hope, or loved you when you felt completely unworthy of His affection.
I tell you that we are not, as they say, “only human.” We are “Children of the Most High God!” And as His children we know that the most important thing we do is not what we can accomplish with our perishable bodies but what we do concerning the destination of our eternal souls. Nothing else matters if we are not able to say with confidence, “it is well with my soul.”
As far as these carnal bodies we now occupy are concerned, I’ve got great news for you. There’s a resurrection coming and a glorious change that is about to take place. “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; 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. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15: 42-44 & 48-49)
So let not your heart be troubled and don’t worry about the things that are going on today. God wants to bless us and provide for all aspects of our lives even while we are still on this earth. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 1: 2) “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12: 29-32)
We all know the directions contained in Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” So again, we can therefore conclude that the most important thing is our spiritual walk while in these physical bodies. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1: 4) “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12: 34) “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5: 16)
When we walk in the Spirit we not only fulfill our responsibilities to God but we also prepare ourselves to occupy our new bodies for the time when we are called home. And though God will never change, praise His holy Name, we will. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15: 51-53)
We will soon inhabit a realm where no more pain, discomfort or distress exists. A place where hatred, jealousy, pride and conflict have been eliminated. A place where even death itself is not allowed and has been eradicated. “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21: 3-4)
So let us live right now as though we are already inhabiting eternity and always conduct ourselves as current, not future, residents of glory. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3: 1-4)
As faithful stewards, let us endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ and do the best we can to take care of the things God has blessed us with and entrusted to us as we wait patiently for that glorious day which has been promised and will, without a doubt, soon come. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3: 10-13)
All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus our Savior. That is why He Himself can say with the utmost confidence, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5: 25-29)
Thank you Jesus for always obeying the will of Your Father for the good of Your people. You came down from heaven not to do Your own will but the will of the Father. And the Father’s will is that everyone who sees and believes in You will have everlasting life and You will raise them up on the last day.
And so, dear ones, whatever difficulty or challenge you may be facing today, know that it is only temporary. Be encouraged because the God of the mountain is also the God of the valley. He is with you and He will take care of you as He prepares you for that great day that is on its way. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8: 16-18)
Hold on and hang in there, beloved ones, and keep saying, "A great change is coming for me because there has already been a great change in me."
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