{"id":18363,"date":"2014-03-07T00:05:24","date_gmt":"2014-03-07T05:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=18363"},"modified":"2014-03-07T00:33:37","modified_gmt":"2014-03-07T05:33:37","slug":"christlife-forty-embracing-glorious-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2014\/03\/07\/christlife-forty-embracing-glorious-future\/","title":{"rendered":"CHRISTLife — FORTY: Embracing A Glorious Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CLday40gloriousfuture\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What an opportunity, privilege, and awakening we have experienced in the last 39 days of this study. \u00a0We have been made aware again, or perhaps for the first time, that God created us because He loves us. \u00a0He created us on purpose to have a relationship and fellowship with Him. \u00a0We didn\u2019t come crawling out of some swampland. \u00a0We came out of His heart.<\/p>\n

We discovered that the ideal mirror to look into is not our bathroom mirror but the mirror of God\u2019s Word, which is His Truth and His Love. \u00a0It is the \u201creliable, unchangeable grounds for accepting ourselves.\u201d (Ruth Myers)<\/p>\n

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!<\/p>\n

1 John 3:1<\/em><\/p>\n

~~ * ~~<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, we each came into this study with images of ourselves influenced by our past; many of those were negative experiences, failures, and hurts. \u00a0But God chose this time, this study, and each of us to destroy those images and replace them with His image of us from His Word, transforming our minds to line up with His mind.<\/p>\n

Do not conform any longer to the pattern \u00a0of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.<\/p>\n

Romans 12:2<\/em><\/p>\n

~~ * ~~<\/strong><\/p>\n

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.<\/p>\n

2 Corinthians 10:3-5<\/em><\/p>\n

~~ * ~~<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

But we have the mind of Christ.<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 2:16<\/em><\/p>\n

~~ * ~~<\/strong><\/p>\n

Through this study we have begun to recognize and accept God\u2019s description of us, His followers. \u00a0We \u201chave chosen the way of Truth\u201d (Psalm 119:30, NKJV). \u00a0I flipped back through the book, CHRISTLife<\/strong><\/em>, and was blessed to read again what God calls us:<\/p>\n

created, child of God, daughter, called, chosen, loved, saved, sanctified, desired, beloved\u2019s, bride, quilt-free, blessed, clean, redeemed, forgiven, righteous, purified, justified, alive, alert, new, holy, victorious, obedient, Christ-like, delivered, united, fruitful, transformed, temple, priest(ess), filled, complete, receiver, empowered, strong, enlightened, belong, accepted, approved, friend, citizen, servant, worshiper, worthy, delighted in, favored, honored, royal, nurtured, satisfied, secure, treasured, competent, beautiful, bold, confident, overcomer, anointed, purposeful, witness…and more!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Wow! \u00a0After reading those I\u2019m breaking out into a little song and dance—what about you!? \u00a0Those affirmations fill me with hope, and confidence for now and for my future. As Ruth Myers said, \u201cIn God\u2019s unlimited view, He sees our increasing glory as His Spirit transforms us into finished works of art.\u201d<\/p>\n

…Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n

Philippians 1:6<\/em><\/p>\n

~~ * ~~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Ladies, these \u201cworks of art\u201d (us!) weren\u2019t created to hang on some museum wall and gather dust. \u00a0We weren\u2019t even created to walk this dusty earth forever. \u00a0Oh no, God has created us for purpose: \u201c\u2019For I know the plans I have for you,\u2019\u201d declares the Lord, \u2018plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future\u2019\u201d (Jeremiah 29:11). \u00a0Our hope will be complete when we meet Jesus face to face (Isaiah 33:17). \u00a0 Our future will be for all eternity, worshiping and serving in the presence of our King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 1:5-6).<\/p>\n

Time after time in the Scriptures, God shares His desire and plan for us to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. \u00a0Here are just a few passages for you to look up as you study today:<\/p>\n

John 3:14-17, 17:2-3
\nPsalm 16:11
\nRomans 6:22-23
\n1 Timothy 6:12
\nTitus 1:2, 3:4-7
\n1 John 1:2, 2:25
\nJude 1:21
\nRevelation 3:5<\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:11 even tells us that He has set eternity in the hearts of men, even though we can\u2019t fathom everything He has done for us. \u00a0God loves us, God has chosen us, God planned from before time began for us to spend eternity with Him. \u00a0That desire is in His heart, and He placed it in our hearts—and Jesus went to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-4).<\/p>\n

If you have given your heart to Jesus, then you have everything you need to spend a glorious future in the very presence of our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. \u00a0It\u2019s time to embrace your true and deepest identity, for \u201cGod is the strength of your heart and your portion forever\u201d (Psalm 73:26). \u00a0 \u201cI AM Who God Says I Am!\u201d<\/p>\n

What a day that will be,<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\nWhen my Jesus I shall see,<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\nAnd I look upon His face,<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\nThe One who saved me by His grace;<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\nWhen He takes me by the hand,<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\nAnd leads me through the Promised Land,<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\nWhat a day, glorious day that will be.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

~~ * ~~ \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0~~ * ~~ \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0~~ * ~~<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Lord, we have completed the study of this book, but I pray that we never stop studying from Your Book what You have to say to us and about us. \u00a0Thank You for loving us and choosing us to be Your children so that we can spend both here and in Heaven a glorious future with You. \u00a0I pray that You, the God of peace, will sanctify each lady in this study through and through. \u00a0May their whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. \u00a0 The One who “…calls each of us is faithful, and He will do it”(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). \u00a0I pray this in Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/p>\n

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