Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a SAVIOUR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST; 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.”
Sculpted by Sovereignty’s Sword!
If not being sharpened,
then being worn down…
are we dulled by Time’s
obstacles clearly.
As such, no one standing,
though waiting on GOD,
escapes grinding attacks
from Life’s fury. Then!
Though pressing ahead
past Hell’s battle lines;
though we register “loss”
in our summary reports;
still CHRIST’s transformational
work is revealed
while sovereignly streamlining
this, our hearts’ course!
So by wearing HIS armor
whilst studying Scripture,
by unceasingly praying
with Zeal — unrelenting;
the sharpest, most readied
reflection of JESUS
we each shall become
by HIS Sword’s cutting edges!
As HIServant surrendered on The POTTER’s wheel,
Whitney
Devotional: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope!”
Who sincerely enjoys trials and tribulations? None that I know of.
But who wants to be daily conformed even transformed into HIS image? Most Christians I know of. At least, that’s the knee-jerk, reflex response.
But to actually go through such change, is often daunting, disappointing and difficult. Yet to pull away from HIS training is to slip into Dullness.
If we aren’t brushing up against those of like faith, encouraging each other, our edges wear smooth and we begin to look just like the world.
Overtly “tolerant”, agreeing with nearly every whim of doctrine, ensuring our speech never in the slightest offends anyone for any reason, and so we have many of the most popular churches of today.
They are because they don’t stand AGAINST anything. There’s few to no stern reminders to flee sin, there’s no firm stance against mixing the Law with HIS grace, and so forth.
So, after having whittled down every potential for religious “offense”, even within Christianity, AND sanded every intentionally rough surface away so that we can just “slip and slide” by each other without any contrast…we’ve proven to be the water-down, spiritually diluted church.
HE tells us that all of HIS “sandpaper”, all of HIS transforming work is meant for and will equate to our good. All GOD’s streamlining cuts of Comfort and Complacency from our lives may look on the surface to be “losses”.
But GOD! HIS pruning of our branches and reshaping of our vessel upon HIS POTTER’s wheel are sovereign actions and will bring about all that HE has willed.
So submit then to the sculpting conviction of the SPIRIT because every surgical cut HE makes is divinely designed!
Transform us then, oh LORD, without delay! We leave ourselves surrendered in YOUR hands!
Amen and amen!
2CJC 