JUNE 18

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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John 8:12

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

2 Corinthians 6:17

“Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”

Romans 12:2

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

John 17:16

“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”

John 8:24

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 3:19-21

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

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We are reading a book by Corrie ten Boom, with daily recordings she made to broadcast over Trans World Radio.  Her Dutch family  sheltered Jews during the Nazi invasion of Holland.  As a result, she, her sister Betsy and their father were taken to concentration camps in Germany. The Lord did many miracles to allow both Corrie and Betsy to bring the Gospel to the other women in their camp.   Their father was murdered in an extermination camp and Betsy was sick, dying just two weeks before Corrie and the rest were freed.  After her freedom, Corrie traveled the world, telling everyone even in remote areas, about salvation through Christ, besides radio and writing many books.  This one is entitled, “Not I, but Christ.”

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CITIZENS OF HEAVEN

Philippians 3:20-21 says:  “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

When we were born again, we were born into God’s family and the Lord Jesus gave us eternal life – age-abiding life.  He made us citizens of heaven.

If we are children of God,  (born again), we possess this age-abiding life already, whether we are conscious of it or not.  My father was very conscious of it.  After we had had a joyful evening he often said, “this was a little foretaste of heaven, of the joy we shall have there.”  But he saw everyday life also in the light of eternity.  He said:  “My name is on the shop window, but God’s name should be there, because I am a watchmaker by the grace of God.”  I worked with him for twenty-five years and saw that, first, he was a child of God;  second a businessman.  He led a sanctified life in home and workshop.

Being a citizen of heaven does not make us unworldly, for Psalm 24:1 says:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”

If I were a citizen only of this world, I would be in danger of becoming desperate.  What do I see all around me?  Atheism is gaining ground all over the world; the filthy are getting filthier.  The future holds a nuclear war, people say.  But the miracle is that we know that the earth is the Lord’s.  We cannot understand in the way of logical thinking.  It is the foolishness of God that can only be understood by faith.

The Nazi concentration camp was a terrible place.  They put the dead bodies into a large washtub.  Those who wanted to wash themselves had to step over them.  But one day they saw what it meant to be a citizen of heaven – the dead face of Betsie, my sister was full of heavenly peace and joy, just as the Bible promises.

Jesus once said in John 14:2-3:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Yes, we are expecting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and the signs regarding His return are very clear – it can happen very soon.  “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like His glorious body.” (Philippians 3:21)

From what the Bible tells us we know a little about Jesus’ glorious body.  He could enter a room through closed doors.  We read of this when the apostles were together.  He ate and drank.  He covered large distances.  He could make Himself invisible.  Read the story about the two who went to Emmaus in Luke chapter 24.   But most important of all was the fact that there was no sin, no sickness, no death in Jesus’ glorious body.

Our bodies, fashioned like His — The cleansing begins here and now.  John speaks about the Lord’s return in 1 John 3:3:

“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

How?

Looking at Jesus makes us mirrors of His love.  In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul says:

“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.”

The words of Philippians 3:21 speak of you and me:

“who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Is that really possible?  Yes!  The “working” of God is strong enough to change us – small, insignificant human beings – in such a way that we shall be conformed to Jesus’ glorious body.  All things He will subdue to Himself.  That is the glorious future.  It says in Philippians 2:10:

“that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,”

When He comes back, every knee on earth will bow to Him…….some – those who are His – will bow in adoration, but some – those still in their sins – will fall down in tremendous sorrow for their lives and dread of their coming eternal suffering, and wishing they had taken Him up on His offer of forgiveness.  But the time will be up.  The “day of salvation” is gone, and they cannot go back and change their decisions.

Will He then be YOUR Judge or your Savior?

Do you know that if you are born again,  you are sanctified, set apart, for such a wonderful reality?  He will then be your Advocate, and Savior, instead of your Judge.

Paul said, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day.”  (2 Timothy 1:12)

And you and I can say the same, if we have been saved.

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Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You made us citizens of heaven and that You will change our bodies that they may be fashioned like your glorious body.  Thank you, Lord, that the best is yet to be!

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