The Best Is Yet To Come
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Introduction- Living For Today Instead Of Tomorrow
Introduction- Living For Today Instead Of Tomorrow
Recently I read a blog post in South America that stated:
The mantra of the 21st century, the inspirational message that appears on more social media posts than any other. “Live for Today” is a call to arms, if you will, a reminder to let go of excessive planning, of collecting and hoarding of material possessions and of spending less time thinking (or rather, worrying) about tomorrow and more time planning for experiences we know will bring us immense happiness today.
To put it simply we should live for today as it will make us happy.
* Without the focus on dwelling, you’ll be less likely to be disappointed. You’ll be so focused on the beauty around you that perspectives on the past or future will be very different. In fact if we live in the present absorbing beauty then our memories will be a collection of wonder and our cast for the future will be looking forward to more beautiful moments as each moment is going to matter.
* Difficult decisions will seem easier you won’t be so afraid of failure as you know that each moment holds so much potential.
* You will find peace within yourself as you will spend less time concerned over your past mistakes or future paths and more time enjoying right here, right now.
* You’ll be energetic as the past and future won’t weigh you down. Everything around you right here, right now will be fascinating and important.
* Living for today will bring peace, you won’t have time for jealousy or judgement.
* Your relationships will flourish with judgement aside you will look for beauty and goodness in not only your surroundings but the people who fill your life.
I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
And there is the old expression that states, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.” Clever and catchy cliché, isn’t it?
The only problem is that these words are unbiblical.
The Bible says,
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Contrary to popular opinion, being heavenly minded always inspires us to be more earthly good. Thus, our goal as Christians must be to set our minds on things above and faithfully serve the Lord.
Transition To Body- Religious Leaders Seeking To Entrap The WORD
Transition To Body- Religious Leaders Seeking To Entrap The WORD
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words.
Entangle
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 27.30 ἀγρεύω; παγιδεύω; θηρεύω
to acquire information about an error or fault, with the purpose of causing harm or trouble—‘to trap, to catch off guard, to catch in a mistake.’
Jesus is the WORD in flesh & dwelling among us
Jesus is the WORD in flesh & dwelling among us
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 33.100 λόγος, οῦ
a title for Jesus in the Gospel of John as a reference to the content of God’s revelation and as a verbal echo of the use of the verbs meaning ‘to speak’ in Genesis 1 and in many utterances of the prophets—‘Word, Message.’
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Body
Body
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’
This law was designed to provide care for the widow as well as to preserve the deceased brother’s genealogical line if they should bear children (Deut. 25:5–10).
Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 723). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection since they drew only on the Pentateuch for doctrine. Resurrection is a doctrine developed more clearly in the latter books of the Old Testament
Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 722). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
All Scripture is God Breathed!
All Scripture is God Breathed!
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the earth will give birth to the dead.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
As the Sadducees attempt to entrap Jesus with a question about the resurrection, he reveals that their conservative posture is actually a self-serving ploy. Their view of the extent of Scripture serves their own interests. If, as their doctrine teaches, there is no real future, they need to grab all of the power and pleasure they can right now to make heaven on earth. If there is no real participation of God in history, then they may as well take life into their own hands to secure their own future. Their wealth and political power produce haughtiness, and their willingness to cooperate with the Roman rulers causes them to compromise their theological convictions. Jesus rails against them that they know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God (22:29).
Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 731). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
Illustrate: Christian’s Compromising their theological convictions to gain power
{
{
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
}
}
Know The Power of God To Change Us
Know The Power of God To Change Us
29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Power
Power
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 74.1 δύναμις, εως
the ability to perform a particular activity or to undergo some experience—‘ability, capability.’
Rely Not On Ourselves but On God Who…
Rely Not On Ourselves but On God Who…
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
Sadducees Are Secular (Temporal) & Know Not The Power of the Holy Spirit (God)
Sadducees Are Secular (Temporal) & Know Not The Power of the Holy Spirit (God)
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
Secular- of or relating to the worldly or temporal
Power of the Holy Spirit
Power of the Holy Spirit
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
The wife (or husband, for that matter) of multiple spouses in this life will have an equally altered capacity and understanding of love, which will enable her (or him) to love all without measure or jealousy or possessiveness.19
Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 724). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
Power of God To Change Lives & Make a Difference in this world…
Furthermore, we must commit ourselves to know the power of God, which can change lives, make a difference in this world, break the chains of addictions, and enable marriages to last and flourish. The power of God is for every Christian, every day, every hour.
Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 738). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
{
{
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
Know The Power of God To Change Us
Know The Power of God To Change Us
}
}
Know The Commitment Of God To Resurrect Us
Know The Commitment Of God To Resurrect Us
31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 23.93 ζάω; ἀναζάω; ἀνίσταμαι; ἀνάστασις, εως; ἐξανάστασις, εως; ἔγερσις, εως
to come back to life after having once died—‘to come back to life, to live again, to be resurrected, resurrection.’
Jesus contends that God is the God of both living and dead and that each person must live each moment under his lordship. All of the power and prestige and pleasures of this age cannot compensate for standing one day before him and receiving one’s eternal destiny.
Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 731). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
Resurrection of Lazarus
Resurrection of Lazarus
24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
He Who Began a Good Work in Resurrecting You…
He Who Began a Good Work in Resurrecting You…
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
{
{
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
Know The Word of God That Inspires Us
Know The Power of God To Change Us
Know The Power of God To Change Us
Know The Commitment Of God To Resurrect Us
Know The Commitment Of God To Resurrect Us
}
}
Transition To Close- The Best Is Yet To Come
Transition To Close- The Best Is Yet To Come
By Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers
Album: Restoring the Years
Released: 2003
Hold on my brother don't give up
Hold on my sister just look up
There is a Master plan in store for you
If you just make its through
God's gonna really blow your mind
He's gonna make it worth your time
For all of the the trouble you've been through
The blessings double just for you
The best
Is yet to come
The best
The best is yet to come
Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us Who Believe…. (His Great Might that He Worked in Christ when he Raised Him from the Dead…)
Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us Who Believe…. (His Great Might that He Worked in Christ when he Raised Him from the Dead…)
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Be Filled With the Holy Spirit…
Be Filled With the Holy Spirit…
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Close- He Is God of the Living!
Close- He Is God of the Living!
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”
Resurrection of the Dead
Resurrection of the Dead
God Who Raised the LORD & Will Raise Us Up by His Power
God Who Raised the LORD & Will Raise Us Up by His Power
14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
The Holy Spirit Of Him Who Raised Jesus From The Dead…
The Holy Spirit Of Him Who Raised Jesus From The Dead…
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
There Will Be A Resurrection..
There Will Be A Resurrection..
14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For This End Christ Died & Lived Again
For This End Christ Died & Lived Again
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Someone May Ask
Someone May Ask
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Our Citizenship Is In Heaven…
Our Citizenship Is In Heaven…
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
