Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Sowing Bodies

 

Read 1 Corinthians 15:35–45

As I accumulate birthdays, I’m becoming increasingly convinced of the second law of thermodynamics, that is, of entropy, the tendency of things to decay. I am speaking, of course, of the aches and pains of aging. The knee that throbs. The arthritis in that shoulder. Even the sudden need for reading glasses.

If you share my experience, take heart. Believers in Christ will one day receive a new, redeemed, spiritual body suitable for spending eternity with Him. Again, God takes the principle of you reap what you sow and turns it into something better. Unimaginably better. We sow a body that was destined to decay and die, and in exchange we reap a glorified body that will last forever! What will our future glorified bodies be like? Different (vv. 35–41). Our current bodies are merely seeds. Seeds die and are transformed. Just as different seeds become various plants, so also will there be different, glorified bodies, from people to animals to astronomical objects.

Paul then answered the question of what our future glorified bodies will be like (vv. 42–44). He did so mainly through contrast. Whereas our physical bodies now are earthly, perishable, dishonorable, weak, and natural, our resurrection bodies will be heavenly, imperishable, glorified, powerful, and spiritual. “Dishonor” refers to sin and fallenness, and “glory” to our redemption. “Weakness” refers to the effects of sin, namely, that we’re subject to death; “power” indicates that we’re free from that and will live forever. This transformation is done completely by God’s grace and strength.

God breathed life into Adam, made of the dust of the ground (v. 45). So also will He breathe life into our resurrection bodies, giving them eternal life through Christ’s redemption.

Go Deeper

What are you looking forward to with your resurrected body? What would you like to see change?

Pray with Us

Though we eagerly anticipate the day when we receive our heavenly bodies, may we be good stewards of our bodies right now. Let everything we do be for Your glory.

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.1 Corinthians 15:44

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread – God’s Portrait of You

 

She saw that he was a fine child. Exodus 2:2

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 2:1-10

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Today’s Devotion

The British TV reality show Portrait Artist of the Year pits nine amateur painters against each other in creating portraits of a local celebrity. The images have to be completed in just four hours, which is condensed into the one-hour program. It’s fascinating to watch the cameras capture each artist’s creation slowly emerging from a blank canvas.

The Bible records the story of creation in Genesis, where God brings life out of the void —a blank canvas. Yet there’s a another “creation story” in Exodus 2—the birth of Moses. This language echoes earlier Genesis accounts. The mother of Moses “saw that he was a fine child” (Exodus 2:2); this is the Hebrew word tov, meaning “good,” as used in Genesis: “God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25). Baby Moses is put in a basket and floated on the water to be saved—basket being the same word for ark in the story of Noah. Here, we see God bringing to life a portrait of the leader of His chosen people, Israel.

How is God “painting” your life? Perhaps you have come from the bulrushes of humble beginnings. Maybe you feel inadequate for the tasks ahead, as Moses did (see Exodus 4). Yet God’s portrait of you is slowly emerging: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10). As God paints your life, be assured he is bringing tov (good) out of your blank canvas.

Reflect & Pray

How are you experiencing God’s development of you? What does His portrait of you look like?

Dear Father, please conform me into the image of Your Son, Jesus. Lead me into the portrait You wish me to be.

Today’s Insights

Stephen’s defense before the council of Jewish leaders included biographical snapshots from Moses’ life, including his rescue by Pharaoh’s daughter (Acts 7:20-21; see Exodus 2:1-10) and that “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). Though Moses’ forty years in Pharaoh’s household prepared him for his leadership assignment, it took an additional forty years of the Master Artist’s work to ready him for rescuing the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery (see Acts 7:28-36). Today, just as God prepared Moses for his task, He’s working in our lives to conform us to His image.

For further study, read: The Intimacy of Prayer

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Days of Praise – Bringing Up Children

 

by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

This verse, together with the parallel passage in Colossians 3:21, is probably the key New Testament instruction specifically dealing with the training of children. “Nurture” is from the same Greek word that is translated “chastening” in Hebrews 12:5 and 7 and “instruction” in 2 Timothy 3:16. It has particular reference to carrying out child training with both firmness and gentleness, as needed and appropriate in each particular case.

The term “admonition” is from a Greek word meaning “putting in mind.” Thus, the “admonition of the Lord” implies teaching the ways of the Lord by using the Word of the Lord. There is no substitute for implanting a knowledge of God’s Word in the minds of our children. Even if they should drift away for a while in later life, the Lord can use His Word in their hearts to bring them back.

Both types of training—through action and through verbal teaching—are said in this passage to be primarily the responsibility of the father. The first reference in the Bible to training children deals with Abraham’s responsibility to bring up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (see Genesis 18:19). Mothers, of course, also have much responsibility and ability in this ministry (see Proverbs 1:8, and the example cited by Paul himself of how Timothy’s mother and grandmother had taught him—2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). Fathers, too, sometimes delegate certain teaching responsibilities to tutors (Galatians 4:1–2), but the overall responsibilities are theirs.

And all of this training should be done in love. “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Colossians 3:21). Then we trust the Lord and pray. HMM

 

 

 

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Joyce Meyer – Know When to Stop

 

Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10 (AMPC)

I share in my teaching that we often study the steps of Jesus but fail to study the stops of Jesus. We all need to learn when to stop.

Jesus stopped what He was doing to listen to people and to help them. He stopped to rest, to have dinner with friends, to go to a wedding, and to do lots of other simple but important things.

When Jesus visited Mary and Martha, Mary knew when to stop, but Martha didn’t. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet so she would not miss the moment, but Martha just kept working (Luke 10:38-41).

I wonder how many times in life we miss the moment because we don’t know when to stop.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, teach me when to stop. Help me be still like Mary, listen for Your voice, and not miss the moments You have for me today.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org