This past week, one of my dear friends went home to be with the Lord. That's no small thing to say, though in "Christianese" sometimes we take that phrase for granted.
Because of the resurrection, Helen is with the Lord now, and is anticipating a new body someday, to replace the old, worn out one that she left behind her on this earth. Helen is basking in the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ right now, and we would not wish her back, except for our own selfish reasons, because we miss her.
I'm going to miss her constant reminders that God is sovereign and in control, and her quiet walk with the Lord that impacted the lives of so many people, mine included.
I'm so thankful for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that because of it, we have hope that Helen is right now in the presence of the Lord, and that someday, I, too, will be in the presence of the Lord, and I will see her again. But even more importantly, I will be rid of this old body and mind, so corrupted by the curse, and will receive a new body and mind and desires - my new nature will be all there is - no flesh anymore, no more struggling with my own sinful desires. That's what I'm looking forward to the most about heaven, aside from being in the presence of the Lord who bought me with His own blood. I'm looking forward to the day when,
"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Cor. 15:51-58
The day is coming when each one of us will stand in the presence of Almighty God. Are you ready for that day? Have you been clothed with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ? Are your robes washed in the blood of the Lamb? It's not enough to just have had Someone pay for the penalty of our sins. We must also be covered with the righteousness of God - we must be justified - made just as though we have never sinned and just as though we have always done what pleased God. II Corinthians 5:21 says, "He [God the Father] made Him who knew no sin [Jesus Christ, God's Son] to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Romans 5 tells us all about how to become God's own child, and how to receive the righteousness of God and have it imputed or laid to our account legally.
There's no more important issue in this life than "What will I do with Jesus?"
Because of the resurrection, Helen is with the Lord now, and is anticipating a new body someday, to replace the old, worn out one that she left behind her on this earth. Helen is basking in the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ right now, and we would not wish her back, except for our own selfish reasons, because we miss her.
I'm going to miss her constant reminders that God is sovereign and in control, and her quiet walk with the Lord that impacted the lives of so many people, mine included.
I'm so thankful for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that because of it, we have hope that Helen is right now in the presence of the Lord, and that someday, I, too, will be in the presence of the Lord, and I will see her again. But even more importantly, I will be rid of this old body and mind, so corrupted by the curse, and will receive a new body and mind and desires - my new nature will be all there is - no flesh anymore, no more struggling with my own sinful desires. That's what I'm looking forward to the most about heaven, aside from being in the presence of the Lord who bought me with His own blood. I'm looking forward to the day when,
"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Cor. 15:51-58
The day is coming when each one of us will stand in the presence of Almighty God. Are you ready for that day? Have you been clothed with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ? Are your robes washed in the blood of the Lamb? It's not enough to just have had Someone pay for the penalty of our sins. We must also be covered with the righteousness of God - we must be justified - made just as though we have never sinned and just as though we have always done what pleased God. II Corinthians 5:21 says, "He [God the Father] made Him who knew no sin [Jesus Christ, God's Son] to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Romans 5 tells us all about how to become God's own child, and how to receive the righteousness of God and have it imputed or laid to our account legally.
There's no more important issue in this life than "What will I do with Jesus?"
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