Thursday 24th October 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- Genesis 1:1-31
Topic:- Why God’s Creations Is Good [2]
Text:- Genesis 1:31
5. Away From The Body And At Home With The Lord:
The Apostles’ Creed asserts belief in both “the life everlasting” and “the resurrection of the body,” but immortality and resurrection are not the same thing.
Immortality means that our life will not be interrupted by death, but resurrection means the raising of our physical bodies.
What will be the state of those who die before the general resurrection at the return of Jesus? The ultimate hope for the Christian is “a new heaven and a new earth.” See Revelation 21:1.
Our resurrected bodies will live. But should we die prior to this, death will not be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. See Romans 8:38–39.
As we await the general resurrection, we will be “away from the body and at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8.
Questions abound at this point, but what we know should give comfort in the face of what we don’t know. We will be with Jesus, and that will be sufficient.
6. Jesus’s Proclamation About The Kingdom Of God Is Concerned With This World:
When Jesus claimed “my kingdom is not of this world.” He was not referring to the domain over which he rules. See John 18:36.
Hopefully the kingdom of God makes an impact in this world! The Gospels clearly identify two kingdoms, but the division is not between sacred and secular; the division is between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. See Luke 11:14–22.
The ministry of Jesus disarms and defeats the kingdom of this world over which Satan rules. The day will come when heaven will declare that “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” See Revelation 11:15.
In the meantime, the division is not between a sacred kingdom and a secular kingdom. The effects of sin can be just as sorely felt in the church as in the workplace.
Similarly, the effects of the kingdom of God can be lived out on Mondays as well as on Sundays. Jesus is Lord over all. He is committed to His creation.
7. The Renewal Of The Earth Means We Are Committed To The Things Of The Earth:
Creation and new creation are the bookends of the Bible. God is concerned for the renewal of this earth. Christian ministry is not just about telling people how to get into heaven when they die, essential though that is.
It is also concerned for what happens in this world. Telling people the way of salvation is of foundational importance. Without repentance of sins and submission to the Lordship of Jesus, nothing else makes sense.
But that is not the end of the story. If we acknowledge that the Christian’s hope is the renewal of all things, it gives meaning to life. Christian communities are commended for the way they bless the places where they live. See Philippians 2:15; Colossians 4:5–6; 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12; Titus 2:9–10.
If our lives are transformed by the power of the gospel, our workplaces, families, marriages, friendships, and world will be impacted.
God is concerned for this physical world. A good question for every Church to ask is, If our Church were to close down, would anyone in our neighborhood notice the difference?
Prayer Point:- I thank You oh Lord God, for I am fearfully and wonderfully created, help me to be faithful unto You and fulfilling Your mandate for me in life, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Glorious Thursday! www.timogundelejesu.com
