Good Morning Friends,
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14)
Christians are waiting for something. Actually, we’re waiting for Someone! Jesus is coming again. His coming will be the fulfillment of our hopes.
In the meantime, we face temptations to sin. The grace we have received is working in our lives to give us the power to say ‘no’ to the temptations we face. But, still it is a struggle. Grace hasn’t had its full impact on our lives, none of us will let it. Though we have the power to change, we still struggle with our own ungodliness and give in to our passions.
In the meantime, we live in a world that is against us. It is not that the world attacks and persecutes us for our faith. Rather, it is that the world is wicked and its influence goes against the direction God desires to take our lives. The world has tremendous pull on our lives. It’s a constant battle within us between the world on one side and God on the other.
It won’t always be this way. Temptation will be gone when we are ushered into God’s eternal kingdom. It won’t be a struggle anymore. We’ll be released from the ungodliness in our own hearts and freed from the passions that are so strong toward evil. And the world will be gone, too, or at least radically changed. Its pull will no longer be toward wickedness and its influence will no longer be away from God. The battle will be over.
That’s the hope. That’s what we’re waiting for. And it’s coming, He’s coming! It will, indeed, be a great and glorious appearing!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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