Focus On Eternity Not That Which is Temporal
Saturday, July 20, 2013 11:53
% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.
Pastor Lee Gliddon * Conservative Patriot
Right at this time we are facing problems which may seem insurmountable and we fret. As I pointed out in a recent sermon we must not fear what is being faced but face that problem with the full knowledge that God is in control and will see us through.
2 Corinthians 4: 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Even as we live in the boundaries we may define as ‘God’s will,’ we often find ourselves saddened by what we are living through and even perplexed. If we walk around in the presence of non-Christians exuding the air of the confidence of knowing God will handle everything we even see the persecuting looks cast our way for the faith we have. So be it.
Some newer Christians seem to question God’s purposes as they walk around thinking: “This cannot be of God. It is almost too much to endure. I am being tested too much and I fear God has abandoned me. He must be punishing me for the sins of my past.”
Paul knew the answers to these thoughts. Paul laid out three wonderful truths and by understanding them and clinging to them we can overcome any thoughts of despair.
2 Corinthians 4: 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
What Paul is revealing is:
Although the many troubles and trials have worn away my outward flesh, my human body, a wondrous thing is happening in my soul. I am growing in the knowledge of the Lord and His ways.
Paul tells is to take our eyes off what is temporal and instead focus on what is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4: 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Paul is telling us to get our eyes off of our troubles of this earthly life as they will pass away. What we take as serious in our present lives will mean nothing whatever in the light of the eternal glory that lays ahead. Spend one moment in Paradise and there will be no memory of the problems we take serious today. Like Christ, we will see only the joy before us.
Hebrews 12: 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
In the words of Jesus himself:
Luke 21: 28”When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Even upon the cross our Savior looked up and rejoiced at His heavenly life to come.
Luke 23: 43Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Even in the face of pains that none of us can imagine Jesus Christ spoke words to encourage a man. His words spoke of an eternal reward.
Then, Paul tells us of what we must do to face our earthly problems.
2 Corinthians 4: 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Paul is telling us that God had revealed Himself in all of His glory through the Person of Jesus Christ!
At the time Paul tells us these marvelous truths he was undergoing more troubles that we could possibly understand as he was imprisoned and subsisting on the merest fare. The food was scant, the personal hygiene was non-existent, and the chains must have been painful to bear. Yet he did not think of God as his punisher but as his Redeemer.
2 Corinthians 3: 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The very thought of being in the presence of Christ and witnessing His power, majesty, authority and splendor is unfathomable to me and to you as well.
Jeremiah as well as Paul wrote down a prophesy telling us of what must be our expectations when we dwell on our eternal lives.
Jeremiah 9: 23 This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
As we see it is not the man that boasts of his wisdom, strength or riches that delights our Lord but the man who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness here on earth. It is these things we are to accomplish to realize our expectations of eternal life in His presence.
I ask each of you to ask these questions of yourself:
1. Are my present circumstances overcoming my life and changing me in a wrongful manner?
2. Is the love and truth of Christ shining in my heart?
3. Do I seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in dealing with the pains and sufferings of others?
4. Do I seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit when dealing with my own problems?
If you are not allowing circumstances to change your life, if the truths of Christ reside in your heart and shine for all to see, and if you rely on the Holy Spirit to be your guide and ask His for the answers to any circumstance you have lifted yourself up and are giving testimony to your Lord and Savior by what others see in you. If that is you then lift your head up high and testify to yourself as you say:
“I am living in the perfect will of God so bring on the problems of this world, He will overcome them all…for He loves me and I love Him.”
Life in Paradise is our goal but living in His will and serving Him will allow us to attain that goal if it is His will. That must be our true goal!
(Closing prayer)
Father, Creator of all, we come to You with praise and want You to know that it is You we worship and place none above You. You are our everything and we ask that we be allowed to be forgiven our trespasses so as to allow us to come to Your presence clothes in the white robes of righteousness. You are worthy of all we could possibly provide and we express our love for You as we say, Holy, Holy, Holy are You Lord, our God and our Lord and Master.
We ask that the Holy Spirit be in our lives and that we be reminded to call on Him in times of need. You have provided Him and we thank You for this and everything You provide in our lives. Keep us ever mindful of Your will.
Lord, we do our best to allow the love You have bestowed upon us to be shown in our concern for others. If we falter, O Lord, strengthen us and allow us to show our love for You to any that may be around us.
Lord, we also ask for Your protection of the downtrodden, our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world and our military forces. Touch the hearts of our elected officials, our judges, our police protectors and the many men and women that are charged with our national security and be their guide. Protect them Lord.
Father, we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,
Amen, amen and amen.
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!
Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!
HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.
Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.
MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)
Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!
Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.
Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).
MOST RECENT
HELP KEEP NEWS FREE
DONATE
HERE
| Online: | |
| Visits: | 1,601,713,326 |
| Stories: | 8,145,174 |
Wanted: Citizen Reporters,
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Today's Top Stories
Featured
Top Global
Nobody is persecuting Christians, nobody could care less about you. You don’t want to believe your own Christian spin, reporting or believing stories of Christian women being shot by the police in church car parks for example,, as persecution, because the police man was also a Christian and she was resisting arrest. You don’t have a single example of Christians being persecuted because they are Christians. Plenty of example of Christians behaving badly though and had it coming.
Hey Pix, you will be facing Christ Jesus soon. He giving you the chance to accept His sacrifice on the Cross for your sins and thus become a “New Creation,” in Christ. Your hate for Christians is evident in all the other posts you have made. What a shame. And whatever you say will be held against you and you will meet Jesus Christ.
John Rolls, what an outstanding message you have written. God bless you sir.
You mean plagiarised pagan Mithraism, which is where the Jesus character originates? There is nothing unique and original in Christianity, the story is as old as the hills. What is worse is your clergy have known from the start.
The only persecuting going on is by Christians on anyone who disagrees. They have a 1’600 year historical track record of it, from start to now.
I don’t hate Christians, I hate what they do, liars, mass murderers, tortures under a draconian political dictatorship, which is what Christianity is and represents. Big difference.
“God bless you sir”.
Which god, you mean the first ever mono deity religion invented by the inbred Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep IV, c1’300 BCE. Israel was made up from a loose group of Egyptian slaves, the hand chosen of Amenhotep IV, who had to flee for their lives after Amenhotep died for fear of the retaliation. Amenhotep IV was ‘THE’ most detested pharaoh of all time for enforcing his invented religion on the entire Egyptian population on pain of death, bankrupting Egypt in the process. They reached Palestine c1’100 BCE sporting tales of being the ‘chosen’ of a mono deity and having to flee Egypt over religious persecution… what are the odds?
Keep you blessing from your invented inbred Egyptian pharaoh, they are meaningless.