Today’s Devotional – February 9th (Waiting For The Church to Shine!)

By admin On February 9th, 2014

.

Today’s Devotional – February 9th

.

“Waiting For The Church to Shine!”

.

“…if so be that we suffer with Him,

that we may be also glorified together….

For the…the creature (or, Creation)

waits for the manifestation of the sons of God…

Because the creature (or, Creation) itself

also shall be delivered

from the bondage of corruption

into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Romans 8:17, 19-21

.

Now this above passage from Romans is very difficult to understand, as just about any Bible passage about the future is difficult to understand.

.

But basically it says here that God’s Elect have been called to suffer with Christ, so that we may also be glorified together with Christ.

.

But that glory is only important because it will be revealed to the world! And God has subjected the world to vanity (futility), not willingly, but for the reason that, hopefully, the world might be saved, as they see the glory of Christ revealed in His people!

.

Listen again to the last line of this passage from Romans… “Because the creature (or, Creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Romans 8:21.

.

Now, such a passage as this gives great hope for the future!

.

Picture: The 7 Stars Constellation, as it represents God’s people (i.e., the 7 churches). This is a picture of the Church finally uplifting the Cross for all the world to behold!

.

So the question to be asked is this: When will all this happen?

.

When will God’s people finally be glorified?

.

Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

.

HOW ARE GOD’S PEOPLE GLORIFIED?

.

Well, listen to this next passage… “And He gave some…pastors, etc… for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-13

.

Okay, so it says here that God has given His people pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc., to encourage them in the right direction: to their ultimate destination: to become one in Christ: to finally attain to the fullness of Christ’s stature.

.

Thus, this above passage from Ephesians 4:11-13 explains how God’s people are to be glorified in Christ!

.

Cross of Jesus Christ – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

.

“WE ALL…BEHOLDING…THE GLORY OF THE LORD…ARE CHANGED INTO THE SAME IMAGE”

.

Perhaps this next verse says it the most concisely as any verse in the Bible, as to how God’s people will be glorified…

.

Listen… “But we all, with open face (with unveiled faces), beholding as in a glass (i.e., a mirror), the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2nd Corinthians 3:18. (parenthetical comments by website Editor)

.

So, here is what God has ordained for His Elect to become: changed into the very image of Christ!

.

Holy bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative commons lic.

.

“CITY OF CONFUSION!”

.

Now obviously, this has not yet happened!

.

After all, when we look at the Christian community, all we see is disagreement and confusion!

.

The liberals want fashion, hip music, drama and excitement, along with financial prosperity!

.

The conservatives want law and order and reverence, along with financial prosperity!

.

The lawless and adulterous generation seeks after signs and wonders. The biblically-challenged want ecumenism. The rest do not! The worldly-minded want a Pope! The rest do not! The unlearned want a health-and-wealth gospel. The rest condemn such a health-and-wealth gospel!

.

And beside all this ecclesiastical confusion, God’s people, as individuals, are mostly caught up in the sins of society: the pleasures, the sports & entertainments, the career pursuits, the divorces, the drinking, the materialism, the ambitions, the gluttony, the pride of display and showy opulence, etc…

.

Oh yes, there are many who reject and are repulsed by all this prosperity-driven religiosity. But even these are mostly caught up in proud, boastful phariseeism, through “a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body!” Colossians 2:23

.

Rock Music Christian CHURCH Pomona – Wikimedia – Public Domain

Super Bowl XLIII Thunderbirds Flyover Feb 1 2009 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

Young business people – Cropped Photo – Wikimedia – the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

.

Yes, Christianity seems to be in a real mess!

.

Exclamation Mark – Wikimedia – Public Domain

.

NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!

.

So, in light of the fact that Christendom is in such a state of miserable disarray and conformity to the world, just how will God ever bring a rag-tag band of spiritual ne’er-do-wells, such as we are, together as “one man” in Christ?

.

Just how will God’s people finally and fully glorify Jesus in these last days?

.

This all seems so impossible, as we behold this, our current wretched state of affairs!

.

Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

.

“COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE!”

.

Well, here below in Isaiah, God speaks of the time when God’s people will finally get tired of trying to have Christ, while we’re still clinging to the world at the same time!

.

Listen… “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” Isaiah 2:20-22

.

As this above passage reveals, God’s people will finally flee from our idolatry and our unholy alliance with fallen Mankind. In that day (which is now upon us), God’s people will flee to the clefts of the ragged Rocks, for the fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty!

.

Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

.

“THEN SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS SHINE FORTH”

Matt. 13:43

.

This next passage speaks of a day when the strong towers of society and of the churches shall fall…

.

Listen…“And there shall be upon every high mountain…streams of waters (Living Waters) in the day of the great (spiritual) slaughter, when the towers (churches & institutes) fall. Moreover the light of the Moon (God’s people) shall be as the light of the Sun (Christ)…in the day that the LORD binds up the breach of His people, and heals the stroke of their wound.” Isaiah 30:25, 26

(condensed for brevity & clarity with parenthetical comments added by website Editor.)

.

This above passage speaks of the day when God’s people (symbolized by the Moon) will shine forth as the Sun (Christ)! And the inhabitants of the world will finally fall from their rebellion! (see Isaiah 26:18).

.

SHINING AS THE SUN!

.

And what a glorious day that will be!

.

This will be the day when God’s people will finally cease from mingling with the false brethren in the Church. This will be the day when God’s people will do what the false brethren in the Church cannot and will not do!

.

Yes, this will be the day when God’s people finally separate from the earthly Mammon which has mired us in idolatry and spiritual mediocrity!

.

And this will be the day when God’s true worshippers will finally go all the way in following the Lamb, as He leads His Chosen ones to the top of Heavenly Mount Sion!

.

PICTURE – Constellation- Woman of Revelation 12 flees to the mountains Mark 13:14 This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture

.

“Let the people praise Thee, O God;

let all the people praise Thee.

Then shall the earth yield her increase;

and God, even

our own God, shall bless us.

God shall bless us;

and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him”

Psalm 67:5

.

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to use whatever time is left to prepare myself to stand in that Day. So let me immerse myself in Thy precious promises, as I fix my gaze upon Jesus…

.

THE END

.

TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

The info and pics of the constellations on this site are all taken from Wikipedia and from The Internation Astronomical Union (click here to view their site)

.

7 STARS IMITATE THE CROSS OF ORION

LOCATING THESE TWO CONSTELLATIONS

This phenomenon begins in October, in the pre-dawn hours. It then begins a little earlier each night.

.

This Wikipedia star-chart to the left, has this Orion Constellation sketched in. You must locate Orion, when it is mid-sky, between east and west. You’ll be facing southward most likely, unless you are far south. Try to imagine it as a Cross on a steep hill. The 3-star belt of Orion becomes the crest of the hill. The 3 very faint stars that make up Orion’s head become the very top of the Cross.

Next, locate the 7 Stars Constellation. This 7 Stars Constellation is seen by facing northward. It stands upright a little later in the night. Eventually, Orion will lay down and no longer be seen as an uplifted Cross! Beginning in November, the 7 Stars (AKA Big Dipper) can be seen as a Cross a little bit later in evening.

**When you are comfortable in locating Orion & The 7 Stars Constellations, then show a friend. This can be a great witnessing tool!**

ABOVE CHART: The Cross of Orion Constellation star-chart – wikipedia star-chart with orion drawn in by this website – not for commercial use