Friday, September 23, 2011

September 23, 2011 … Guaranteed Heavenly Glory

Passage of the Day: Romans 8: 17 … [see in underlined/bold below] 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.

My Journal for Today:
Sinful man may not be able to see all of God’s intended glory, which was present in Adam and Eve before the fall. The saved, believing as we do, might be able to see bits of that glory through the eyes of faith; but for the lost, that is impossible. Hence, it is no wonder why we see such hopelessness and cynicism and even anger concerning God and Christ in those who have not received God’s saving grace, … i.e., those who do not have God’s Spirit dwelling in their hearts.

But all of mankind knows that glory is absent … yes, even those who have not been born anew in Christ. All of man has seen, in God’s creation, what could be and what is not. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1: 18 – 20, …


From the dawn of time, it has been God’s plan that those who are reborn in Christ would be “recreated” to be like Him in glory (see Romans 8: 29 – 30 and 1st Cor. 15: 35 – 57). Therefore, with God’s Spirit sealing that reality, saved believers live with the hope of glory, … as the Psalmist declared in Psalm 17: 15 or the Apostle in 1st John 3: 2. As we live out our lives in our sojourn here on earth, John MacArthur rightly says, “The Holy Spirit guides us through different levels of glory.” [also see 2nd Cor. 3: 18] And furthermore, as we grow in our relationship with Christ, becoming more-and-more like Him in our sanctification, I believe God, the Holy Spirit, gives us, what I call, glimpses of glory to bolster our hope until that day when we are face-to-face, being fully restored into the glorified form we were intended to have in His image (see Gen. 1: 27).

I hope you’ve experienced those “glimpses of glory.” I certainly have, … seeing God’s character in the beauty of a sunset, the radiance of a rainbow, or in the love my wife displays when I don’t deserve her love. I have seen His love as two turtle doves cuddled [that’s a long, but wonderful story – ask me about it someday – I’d love to share it with you], … and I have witnessed His grace in the forgiveness of my wife or in the unencumbered love of our grandchildren. We, who believe, if we stop to see the glory which God shows us providentially, we can be blessed by glimpses of what is to come when we see the face of Jesus.

I have even felt God’s glory imparted this morning in meditating on the passages Dr. MacArthur led me to in this devotional. Did you sense that glory? I hope so. If you want to be helped to meditate on God’s glory in reading this, click on this hyperlink and be taken to a great contemporary hymn by the Gettys, entitled BY FAITH.

My Prayer Today: O, my Lord, I long for the glory! But I’m grateful for the life You give me here today. Amen

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