Morning Moments

Philippians Devotional Outline (cont)

III. The Life of Christ - Conformity to Jesus Christ 3:1-21
A. A Reason to Rejoice 3:1-3
B. A Rebel to Resist 3:4-8
C. A Righteousness to Reveal 3:9
D. A Resurrection to Reckon 3:10-14
E. A Revelation to Receive 3:15-19
F. A Return to Remember 3:20-21

When Peter wrote the Jewish Christians scattered abroad and spoke of events surrounding the "day of our God" he said, [2 Peter 3:14] Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

So regardless of your belief regarding the rapture and/or the return the message is the same - live as though Jesus were coming today. I'm reminded of the game many of us played as children called Hide and Seek, where one closes his/her eyes and counts to 100 and the others run to hide. When the counter reaches 100 he/she would say, "I'm coming ready or not." Jesus is coming, my friend - ready or not!

1. The Lord Will Come for us 3:20

[3:20] For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Paul is saying that our manner of life, our source and supply of life, our lifestyle is from heaven. We belong there because it is our home and we will go there soon, but until we go we must live with the fact in mind that the Lord will come for us from Heaven to receive us unto Himself.

Those of us who believe in a pre-trib rapture believe that His coming is imminent or that it may happen at any moment, and that he will come for us which a shout of the archangel and the trump of God in which the dead in Christ shall be raised and we which are alive and remain shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye..."

I will certainly kindly allow you to believe differently and respect that difference but I will not allow anyone who names the name of Christ to live as though He is not coming. That is to deny the teaching of Jesus (Jn 14:1-4.

2. The Lord Will change us 3:21

[3:21] Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The body in which we live is like the earth on which we live; they are both waxing old as a garment. This is a mortal and corruptible body of flesh, blood, and bone and it is a dying body beginning at birth. However, for those of us who place our personal faith in and reliance upon Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will have a new body that will be fashioned like His glorious body...

[Phil3:21 HCSB] He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.

[1 John 3:1] Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. [2] Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. [3] And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.

Isn't that reason enough to live a pure, positive, productive life for Jesus UNTIL He comes?

BLESSINGS!