ONLY 361 DAYS
UNTIL CHRISTMAS
Wednesday,
December 30, 2015
2
Corinthian [NLT] 5:1-21
For we
know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die
and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body
made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present
bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we
will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we
live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to
die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our
new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself
has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
So we are always confident, even though we
know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord.
For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we
would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home
with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our
goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We
will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this
earthly body.
Because we understand our fearful
responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are
sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you
again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer
those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere
heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in
our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us.
Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all
died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new
life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ,
who died and was raised for them.
So we have stopped evaluating others from a
human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point
of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to
Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
And all of this is a gift from God, who
brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of
reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to
himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this
wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is
making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to
God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so
that we could be made right with God through Christ.
Just think, only 361 days until Christmas!
Do I hear a sigh of relief from some of you?
For those that live in constant stress,
anxious preparation for Christmas has moved far down the list. It has been
replaced with Returns, Customer Service, bills to be paid, and possibly
day-after decompression, blue funk or even depression. And then if and when
such business is taken care of, there’s the still with us the troubles of national
and world scene.
It’s a good time to remind ourselves of
everyday applicable life facts noted in and by The Word:
·
Be
careful in our relationship to others. Ecc.4:9-12; Pr.27:17
·
Life is
not about cash and carry. Mt.6:24; 1Tim.6:10
·
God
will never leave nor abandon His children. Heb.13:5
·
We can
confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can
anyone do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6
·
Remember
those that live in Philippians 4:11-13 Pauline contentment. Think about their
lives. Imitate their faith.
·
Jesus
Christ, The Word, is the same yesterday and today-and forever! We are not to
live willy-nilly silly as though God’s Truth is foreign to us. Heb.6:18; 13:8
·
As His
children we are different, yet in this world but not to be of this world;
accept it, live accordingly. Tit.2:14 “[Jesus]
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” 1Pet.2:9
·
Be
thankful in word and deed. 1Thes.5:16-19 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without
ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.”
·
As His
redeemed people, deciding to follow Him will not always result in pleasant
experience this side of heaven. Rom.8:17; Phil.1:29; 2Tim.2:12; 1Pet.4:16-19
·
Christmas
the holiday is past. Christ-mas is moment by moment every day. Rom.12:1-3
·
His
gift is not without serious responsibility. 1Cor.15:58; 2Cor.5:1-21
·
We must
think eternal-wise. Rom.12:1-3; 2Cor.10:5
“Now may the God of peace, who by the blood
of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great
Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good to do his will,
accomplishing in us what pleases him through Jesus Christ. To him be glory
forever and ever! Amen.” (ISV Heb.13:20-21)
EBB4
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