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The glory that awaits those who overcome John 16:33 “these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 1 John 4:3-4 “ And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” As we receive Christ's nature from believing in the gospel we the by faith become transformed from the inside out. As we have his light, the Spirit of truth is in us; and it should be seen by all as a witness in the darkness of this world. Matt 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Meaning we are on display as his representatives. We are the light of the world until He returns. As Paul the apostle wrote in 2 Cor.4:5-7: “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” We are to reflect and present Christ’s glory as the moon does the sun at night. We are to do this as spiritual lights in a darkened world. 2 Cor.3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As in Dan 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament” How are we changed into the Sons image? Paul writes in Rom.1:17: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” and that faith is in and from his Word which Jesus told us to continue to be learners and servants of him. At his transfiguration, the disciples were in awe, witnessing what only some of the prophets had wrote about, Jesus then turned to them before coming down from the Mt. and said “keep it a secret until he rises from the dead.” It is only with a completed understanding of his mission and by his power that they could proclaim his message. The resurrection is the 3 rd point of the gospel, which took place on the 3 rd day. This is what gave reality to what they had seen and experienced on the Mt. of Transfiguration. As he said to his disciples in Luke 24 on the Emmaus Road, Christ had to suffer before He could actually enter into His glory and be exalted and crowned to sit on the throne. Within the 50 days to Pentecost, Jesus before he ascends to heaven then says to the disciples, “Go, tell everyone, making disciples of the nations.” This is the last marching orders of our savior to all who believe and it continues to echo to the church today. This is the message until He comes. When Christ comes again in all his glory we too will share in it in some small way, as Dan 12:3 states, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Matt 13:43 “ the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” However, Jesus also said when He returns, “when he comes will he find faith on earth? To have faith… is a small word but the most essential practice of walking with Christ. As we watch the world unravel we are not to be dismayed, but trust in him through the storms of life that he is with us not forsaking us, and by keeping faith through these storms we will one day be rewarded. The world will continue to become darker and at the same time the light that is within us will strengthen and become more evident. We have been told, “In the last days perilous times will come” (2 Tim 3:1), we are in these days now. Throughout Scripture we are told to “depart from evil and do good.”(Ps 34:14). This is done byournot standing “in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners”(Ps 1:1) As far back as ancient Job (28:28) he instructed, “ Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.” Solomon warns, “ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Prov. 3:7), it is with God where wisdom is found. We protect ourselves by,“redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is”(Eph. 5:16-17; 1 Cor.3:8,14; Col.3:24). |
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