Proverbs of a 42 yr old man

Made To Give Him Glory Part 3.

You were made to resemble God in every way. And you were born again to be sons and daughters of God in Christ. Not sons of Adam, but from the life giving Spirit of Christ, the second Adam. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. We are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. Amen. 1 Cor. 2:16  says For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. Amen. The word Christian gets thrown around a lot and many times gets watered in our world and culture. But it is truly an honor and privilege to be called a Christian. Let me give you a good definition and then give you my thoughts how it ties into God's glory. A dictionary definition of a Christian would be something similar to “a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus.” Now that's just service level. But a Christian is a born again believer in Jesus. Just like human beings are physically born into this world we are spiritually born into heavenly places. Let Holy Spirit speak to you in 2 Cor. Chapter 5 starting in verse 14 Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15He 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. 16So 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! 17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18And 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. 19For 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. 20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. Amen. Think about this as I close:  I am sure what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us. In fact, all creation is eagerly waiting for God to show who his children are. Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in the hope that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of his children. We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth. The Spirit makes us sure about what we will be in the future. But now we groan silently, while we wait for God to show that we are his children. This means that our bodies will also be set free. And this hope is what saves us. But if we already have what we hope for, there is no need to keep on hoping. However, we hope for something we have not yet seen, and we patiently wait for it. Amen. We bring glory to God when we live our lives for Jesus. His Righteousness covers us and His Life empowers us. We boast nothing in ourselves but we boast in the Cross of what Jesus died. He was the begotten Son of God. So that heaven, the Kingdom of God, can have many sons and daughter through Him. Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by his power. So God did the right thing when he made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God's children to be saved and to share in his glory. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. You were bought you with a high price, the blood of Jesus. So you must honor God with your body. Listen to the words of Jesus, last Scripture I promise. Meditate on this: John 12:23-26 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. Amen. Everything now about you after being born again reveals the glory of Jesus, the only begotten of the Father. We are his many sons and daughters reflecting His Glory!