April 21, 2025 -- Philippians 3:20-21 -- Jesus Will Return

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:20-21 ESV
 
These are soaringly hopeful words. Our battle against our own fleshly lusts, against the devil, and against the deadening influences of the world will come to an end. We know that Jesus Christ has won the victory at the cross, it was confirmed by His resurrection from the dead, and now He is seated in power at the right hand of God.
 
When you are facing temptation, remember that you are guarded by the Holy Spirit, kept for Jesus against the day when your lowly, sin-prone body, will be set free from all sin. We are given such a glorious picture of what is ahead that we are thereby encouraged to keep going. Battle-scarred though you might be in your fight against sin, remain steady.  Fight the good fight of our glorious faith.
 
Paul gives the pathway of victory here in these two short verses. Jesus has all authority. That is true already now. His followers, filled with the same Spirit that filled Jesus, are given divine power to defeat sin. Jesus has all authority. He is subjecting all things to Himself—even death will one day be subjected to Him and it will end. There will be no more death. Those who are hell-bound ought to tremble at the thought of this! They will remain alive in the torments of hell for ever. Those who are captivated by Jesus must be so encouraged by that thought—life everlasting in the presence of the Redeemer-King. There will be no end to our glorious delight in knowing Jesus, Who is infinitely wondrous, holy, beautiful, kind.
 
Spend time reading your bible and reflecting on Who Jesus is. Read the word and know that He will not leave you. “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). How encouraging those words are. Spend time praying on that. Thanking God the Father, that He has seen fit to bring you to Christ, and by the Holy Spirit He is ensuring every good purpose He has for you will be accomplished.
 
When I was a child various relatives from the Netherlands would visit. This was a source of great excitement. They were wonderful, loving (and usually had presents for us kids). We’d count the days until the family would visit. That childish excitement is now magnified and multiplied many times over. Now we await the Captain of our Salvation. Who will soon appear. He is our joy. He is our song. He is our victory. He is our salvation. As eagerly as a child, awaiting the visit of a much-loved family members, so eagerly and even more so, do we await Jesus’s return. All our days and all our actions and all our thoughts are filled with the consuming desire, return quickly Lord Jesus!
 
  O Son of God and Son of Man,
You were incarnate, did suffer, rise, ascend for my sake;
Your departure was not a token of Separation but a pledge of return;
Your Word, promises, sacraments, show Your death until You come again.
That day is no horror to me, for Your death has redeemed me,
Your Spirit fills me, Your love animates me, You Word governs me.
I have trusted You and You have not betrayed my trust;
waited for You, and not waited in vain.
You will come to raise my body from the dust, and re-unite it to my soul,
by a wonderful work of infinite power and love,
greater than that which bounds the oceans’ waters, ebbs and flows the tides,
keeps the stars in their courses,
and gives life to all creatures.
This corruptible shall put on incorruption,
this mortal, immortality,
this natural body, a spiritual body,
this dishonoured body, a glorious body,
this weak body, a body of power.
I triumph now in Your promises as I shall do in their performance,
for the head cannot live if the members are dead;
Beyond the grave is resurrection, judgment, acquittal, dominion.
Every event and circumstance of my life will be dealt with –the sins of my youth,
my secret sins, the sins of abusing You, of disobeying You Word,
the sins of neglecting ministers’ admonitions,
the sins of violating my conscience –all will be judged;
And after judgment, peace and rest, life and service,
employment and enjoyment, for Your elect.
O God, keep me in this faith, and ever looking for Christ’s return.
“THE SECOND COMING” The Valley of Vision.
 
https://youtu.be/w98-VuKi-4Q?si=Ra9wICUwMw3L4JoH Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending
 

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