God looked down on the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. We can’t begin to fathom the pain in His heart. He saw His beloved Son writhing in such agony on the ground that the blood vessels in His forehead burst and His blood poured down mingled with tears. Why didn’t God stop it? He couldn’t! His Word cannot be altered. I am the Lord (Malachi 3:6) and I do not change. Billions of years before – at the foundation of the world – the Triune Godhead made a decree that in the far-distant future – the Son of God would be the Lamb of God and would be slain for the sin of the whole world. Those of us who have received Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour were (Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12) buried with Him and risen to a new life in Christ. Our sins remain buried in the grave forever. But sometimes (Ezekiel 37:12) God will open our graves – not to condemn us for forgiven sin but to remind us of what we are apart from Him and how much we need Him. When God opened my grave I was horrified at the ugly selfishness, the awful stench of unwarranted pride – (I only have reason for shame) and appalling ingratitude. From my graveside I began to see deeper into the unspeakable cost and astounding scope of the Atonement, that such as I could be redeemed. Then I had to go again to Gethsemane to observe what God saw. While I was there the Holy Spirit showed me another reason why God opened my grave. It was not only to show me what I am but also to reveal to me the amazing love in the great heart of God for me. He loves me just as I am but there is so much more in His salvation plan. Because of the victory of Jesus at Gethsemane and Calvary, one day He will present me – yes me! FAUTLESS (JUDE 24) before the Presence of His glory with triumphant joy. No joy because of what I accomplish but only because of what incarnate Deity in me can accomplish.
How precious are Your thoughts to me O God (Psalms 139:17) and how vast is the sum of them. How vast is the Atonement (Hebrews 7:25) so that God is able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ.
‘‘Rivers of mercy are flowing out from His wounded side”
God so loved the world (John 3:16) that He gave His only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but receive eternal life. BECAUSE God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9) but that all would come to repentance,
At the present time God is using COVID 19 for a world-wide purpose, a wake-up call to the nations – a merciful warning of coming judgment. Sound the alarm (Joel 2:1) BECAUSE the day of the judgment of the Lord is coming!
Does our faith remain strong and unwavering, secure in His Sovereignty?
Or have we given way to fear and grumbling? Either choice tells much about ourselves.
Oswald Chambers – “Do we love and trust God for Himself or only for His blessings?”
Corona or whatever – still (Lamentations 3:22-23) His compassions fail not but are new every morning and great is His faithfulness. I say with Jacob (Genesis 32:10) I am not worthy of the least of Thy mercies or all the Truth which Thou has shown me.
The precious, priceless Blood which soaked into the ground on the Mount of Olives is the guarantee that Jesus will return to again (Zezekiel 14:4) stand on the Mount of Olives as Ruler of all nations.
King of kings and Lord of lords and His Dominion (Daniel 4:34) will be an everlasting Dominion.
Don’t be so foolish as to get entangled in the temporary things of this world. We need to set our minds (Colossians 3:2) on that which is above, the higher things which are eternal. Why should we spend and waste our God-given time currency on things that will pass away? Everything we do has eternal impact BECAUSE
I heard a message by Dr. Charles Stanley which I’ve condensed and added a few thoughts. Although I knew many of these things – never before have I understood so clearly the REWARDS at the Judgment Seat of Christ and how essential our resurrection is for the operation of the rewards. I’m so thankful for God’s timing that I heard that message. Paul is talking to people at Corinth who don’t believe in the resurrection. Because of their belief it makes no sense (1 Corinthians 15:29) for them to be baptized for the dead – which is of course, definite error.
If you plant one seed – that seed has its own little body. But that body is not the body it will have when life springs forth out of death and produces a sheaf of wheat or many ears of corn etc. We inherited from Adam – each one his own physical body and personality. We know that the same power (the Holy Spirit) Who raised Christ from the dead will also raise us and transform our bodies into bodies which can never be hurt – no sickness – no accident – no injury. Nothing can impede our bodies which will be perfectly suited to our environment – eternity. Our bodies will fly through space, walk through fire, water – locked doors – walls and whatever else.
Just as Jesus – in His glorious, transformed, resurrection body came out of His grave clothes. He left them intact – undisturbed – looking as if there was still a body in them but they were empty. The sting and victory of death was put fully upon Jesus on the Cross and (Dr. C. Swindoll) when dawn arrived – HE AROSE!!!
Just think what this means for us. If Jesus had gone to heaven before His Resurrection He could never have survived.
But there is something more – something – something about the rewards which became clearer and much more urgent than ever before. I often wondered how a saved person could “suffer loss” in heaven - - and with all of heaven’s glory, what could the rewards add? Boy! Did I get a revelation and I can’t stop thanking God. Why should a person who knows he’ll have a transformed body in heaven, be diligent in living a pure, holy, obedient life on earth? Paul gives some examples. There are many different bodies and God gives to each one as He sees fit.
There are heavenly bodies – sun – moon – stars – all different - - and some stars are more brilliant than others. Weight of glory – weight differs according to the scale. What is the seed – what is the weight of glory? It is the life we live on earth in our physical bodies which will die and then become what goes through the fire at the Judgment seat of Christ. Whatever survives the fire will determine the measure of reward to our transformed bodies - - which is - - the capacity to reflect the glory of God throughout all (Daniel 12:3) eternity! Will our capacity be brilliant – radiant – dull – dim – absent?
Now I can see how we can suffer loss in heaven. In that case, what a horrible realization of what we have done in the temple of God – in our physical bodies while on earth. I can also see the rich, lasting joy of the rewards.
As we meditate on this wonderful truth we can see deeper into why we were created and why our Holy, Transcendent, Triune God was willing to suffer such intense anguish and heartbreak, to make it possible for us to continually share His joy in a glorious eternal future.
