04/08/2025 –
I am lost in thought this morning regarding a certain gift that was given us from the cross. We all know that Jesus suffered, died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven, to release us from sin and death, but there is more. Through our faith and relationship with Him we too will be resurrected and receive a glorified body just as He did. Are we ready to glow with the same heavenly light that Jesus did while He was talking with Elijah and Moses in the scripture we discussed yesterday? Can we even fathom that?
Yesterday we read…
“And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.”
Mark 9:3-4, 9 KJV
Now today we will ask ourselves if we are prepared to be like Him…
“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
Philippians 3:10-11 ESV
Something incredibly wonderful happened to Jesus in His tomb; not only was He lifted spiritually to be with God, but He was lifted physically as well. And following His resurrection Jesus appeared to the two apostles on the road to Emmaus and said this...
“And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"”
Luke 24:25-26 ESV
As wonderful, (and truly the focal point of what happened on the cross) as our release from sin is, there is a second promise, and that is the return of Jesus Christ, and our own physical resurrection and glorified body. We will be like Him... and hasn't our being like Him been the goal all along?
Speaking of the risen Christ, Pastor Oswald Chambers wrote these words...
"When our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life, to a life He did not live before; and His resurrection means for us that we are raised to His risen life, not to our old life. One day we shall have a body like unto His glorious body, but we can know now the efficacy of His resurrection and walk in newness of life." - Oswald Chambers
By following the teachings of Jesus we are striving to be like Him today, and as Chambers wrote we can "walk in a newness of life" now because of His resurrection. We may think our goal is to perfect our current life, but it should be to convert what and who we are into what and who He is, and we shall be eternally.
So, as we have read today, there is more coming... a glorified body. Well, I don't know all of the ramifications of that, but I envision myself being about 24 years old, healthy, full of vitality, and without a blemish to be found! Oh, and I would finally like to have a singing voice too! Perhaps you have other ideas regarding yourself… but won't it be wonderful? Do we hope and pray for this?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your obedient Son Jesus Christ and the way He sacrificed himself that I might stand before you free of sin and acceptable in your eyes. But I also thank you for the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of my own resurrection, and glorified body as well. Lord, I am not ungrateful for this life and this body, but I see its shortcomings and long to be as Jesus the Lamb of God is... I long to be like Him who was and is and is to come... without blemish. Let me sing your praises Abba and join in worship with the heavenly host. I desire to be like Jesus, glowing bright in my new body, and with an angelic voice as I sing Holy, Holy, Holy... with raised arms and radiant face. You are truly my God Almighty and the love of my life! You are merciful, full of grace, and compassionate in your love and forgiveness. Forgive me now Father, and transform me, body, mind, and spirit, into the perfect likeness of your Son Jesus. Let His body which was given for me perfect mine, His redeeming blood of the New Covenant purify me, and His absolute perfection become mine as I stand glowing in His image before you in judgement. Great is your Love that flows over me, and your grace by which I am saved. Wonderful is your Son Jesus my savior, redeemer, counselor, and my Prince of Peace. In Him I will become radiant, and pleasing unto you. Praised be your name Father, and to you let all glory and honor be given always, and forevermore.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, and Amen!!
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6 ESV
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.”
Hebrews 10:12-18 ESV
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”
Philippians 2:14-16
Rich Forbes