Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the of glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. - Romans 5:1-5 CSB
Wait...what? We rejoice in our afflictions? I'll explain.
There's sooo much packed in here these verses. But for right now, I just want to focus one thing Paul mentions, but sometimes get's often overlooked, "hope".
Yesterday, we introduced the reality of the coming millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. For one thousand years we'll get to live and reign on earth with Christ. Jesus will accomplish everything he started to do and promised to do in the beginning of time (Genesis 1-3). God's ultimate redemptive plan is our HOPE. It's what we've been longing for. When the whole world will someday be fully restored to God's original design. Paul writes about this hope. He explains that it is a hope that will not leave us disappointed. In other words, God's coming kingdom is going to be so awesome that no amount of difficultly, pain, or affliction in our lives today can be compared to how wonderful it is going to be to finally live and reign on earth with Christ as Lord off all (2 Timothy 2:12)!
"To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ -- to him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 16:27) By the way...this hope we have in God's future restoration of all things also makes it possible for us to live supernaturally above our circumstances and problems today.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to see and understand everything that you make available to me in Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful, beyond words, that you sent him to pay the penalty for my sins so that I could be made dead to sin, no longer live just for myself, and be made alive to you, God, and to live for you will. I look forward to the day when you return, Jesus! Amen.
The Coming Kingdom of Jesus
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the of glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. - Romans 5:1-5 CSB
Wait...what? We rejoice in our afflictions? I'll explain.
There's sooo much packed in here these verses. But for right now, I just want to focus one thing Paul mentions, but sometimes get's often overlooked, "hope".
Yesterday, we introduced the reality of the coming millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. For one thousand years we'll get to live and reign on earth with Christ. Jesus will accomplish everything he started to do and promised to do in the beginning of time (Genesis 1-3). God's ultimate redemptive plan is our HOPE. It's what we've been longing for. When the whole world will someday be fully restored to God's original design. Paul writes about this hope. He explains that it is a hope that will not leave us disappointed. In other words, God's coming kingdom is going to be so awesome that no amount of difficultly, pain, or affliction in our lives today can be compared to how wonderful it is going to be to finally live and reign on earth with Christ as Lord off all (2 Timothy 2:12)!
"To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ -- to him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 16:27) By the way...this hope we have in God's future restoration of all things also makes it possible for us to live supernaturally above our circumstances and problems today.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to see and understand everything that you make available to me in Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful, beyond words, that you sent him to pay the penalty for my sins so that I could be made dead to sin, no longer live just for myself, and be made alive to you, God, and to live for you will. I look forward to the day when you return, Jesus! Amen.