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nChrist
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« Reply #5778 on: June 01, 2008, 10:33:23 PM » |
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AMEN AND AMEN!
Brothers and Sisters, I was just reading some beautiful old material about the Promises of GOD. It's important for us to know that GOD didn't promise us an easy time in this short life. After all, this world isn't our HOME. However, GOD has given us many things to help us through this life, and the best thing is HIMSELF. GOD offers us many wonderful things that we can enjoy even during this short life. HE offers HIS spiritual riches to us freely. HE spreads them out like a giant buffet and welcomes us to come and fill ourselves.
The best things in this short life are from GOD, and they are already paid for. As Christians, one of the best examples is THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD living in our hearts. HE is there as a guide and comforter, and HE has placed a Seal on our Hearts setting us aside as a purchased possession belonging to JESUS CHRIST. Learning about GOD and HIS Promises to us should make us smile in joy and give thanks that we are the Children of the KING OF KINGS! There aren't any riches in this world that can compare to the Spiritual Riches we have in CHRIST.
We already know that this short life many times involves trials and struggles for Christians, but this short life is like a blink of an eye compared to Eternity with CHRIST. Once we belong to CHRIST, we can start learning about our ultimate purpose - why GOD created us. Our real design is for Eternity in Joy with CHRIST. This short life isn't long enough to find out and understand all of our Riches in CHRIST, but it's wonderful to try.
Ephesians 2:4-10 NASB But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
He loved us before we loved HIM. HE loved us enough to give HIMSELF up for Crucifixion on the CROSS in our place. HE paid for our Sins so HE could rescue us from a worse and eternal punishment. There is no greater love than to give your life for another.
Please notice the tense in this portion of Scripture. It speaks as if these things are already done, AND THEY ARE! We aren't there yet, but the work is perfect and finished. We are already Members of the BODY OF CHRIST - HIS BODY - HIS CHURCH! This is hard for us to understand, but it is an ultimate REALITY! HE has raised us up to sit with HIM in Heavenly Places. This is a Promise from GOD, and GOD keeps all of HIS Promises. It is so sure that GOD considers it to be already done. In REALITY, it is! We were translated into the BODY OF CHRIST at the moment of our Salvation, and that is an Eternal position and HOME. JESUS CHRIST is alive and our life is IN HIM forever. It's hard for us to realize this while we are still struggling in this short life. The HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD lives in our hearts to guide and comfort us until we can go HOME. All Christians, living and dead, will be going HOME soon. The things that await us are beyond human imagination.
Revelation 21:4 NASB and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
Revelation 21:5 NASB And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He *said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
Revelation 21:6 NASB Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
Revelation 21:7 NASB "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
Revelation 21:8 NASB "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Revelation 21:9 NASB Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
Revelation 21:10 NASB And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
Revelation 21:11 NASB having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
Revelation 21:12 NASB It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.
Revelation 21:13 NASB There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west.
Revelation 21:14 NASB And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation 21:15 NASB The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall.
Revelation 21:16 NASB The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.
Revelation 21:17 NASB And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements.
Revelation 21:18 NASB The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
Revelation 21:19 NASB The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
Revelation 21:20 NASB the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
Revelation 21:21 NASB And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
Revelation 21:22 NASB I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Revelation 21:23 NASB And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
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