The Freedom of the Glory

As we look at what's going on around the world, it's not hard to see signs pointing to the coming of Jesus. Animosity towards Jews and Christians is growing. We're hearing of wars and rumors of wars. Nations and kingdoms are in conflict. Famines and earthquakes are occurring in various places. We're seeing the very things Jesus said "are the beginning of birth pangs" (Matthew 24).

Have you ever wondered why Jesus called these things "birth pangs"?

We know that birth pangs are the pain a woman suffers before the birth of a child. They intensify in severity and frequency right up to birth. But do we know that the birth pangs the world suffers also precede a birth? It's a birth which all of creation is longing for.

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:22-23

All who are in Christ have been Spiritually redeemed and made adopted sons of God. Jesus is coming to complete our adoption by redeeming our physical bodies.

This is why He said...

"...when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Luke 21:28

Something far greater than the pain of tribulation and persecution is ahead for us. Jesus is coming to redeem our bodies from the corruption of sin and death, transforming them so that we will be made like Him!

For decades we've listened to Pastors and Teachers talk about believers being taken up from earth in the "rapture". This will certainly happen. However, they mistakenly claim this is the next event to occur on God's "prophetic calendar", not understanding what will take place before this.

For many, the focus has been on escaping the tribulation the world will undergo. Perhaps they have yet to realize that Jesus is the One who sets in motion the troubling events that occur (Revelation 6). Though troubling, we have no reason to fear these things. In fact, we have every reason to hope. He is going to be with us through it all.

...for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

Hebrews 13:5-6

While many are looking to be removed from the coming trouble, God is working toward our being "revealed" in the midst of it.

What is the revealing that God is working toward?

The revealing of His adopted sons...us! This will occur when Jesus appears in the clouds of the sky as He comes for us.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

1 John 3:2

Our being revealed on that day is the day that Jesus rescues living believers from the wrath of God that will be poured out upon the earth (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

But before this happens, quite a different revealing is going to take place. It will come on the heels of a great apostasy when many believers will fall away from Jesus. The "man of lawlessness" is going to be revealed, the one who will exalt himself and claim to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5). He will gain the worship of the unbelieving world. He will also war against, and overcome, those who remain faithful to Jesus (Revelation 13:5-8)... but only for a short while.

The adversity we experience here on earth is just momentary light affliction. It will produce for us a weight of glory which is eternal and far beyond comparison - the glory of being in the likeness of Jesus Himself.

Shouldn't we be encouraging one another with this instead of worrying about present difficulties and those to come?

Our course in Christ isn't measured in speed. It's an endurance course measured in distance. And the distance Jesus gives us the grace to go is "to the end".

Will we stay our course and go the distance in Him?

It's easy to say yes now when things are going well for us here in the USA. But when the adversity that Jesus warned us of hits, we'll be tempted to change our minds. In fact, many will.

"At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another."

Matthew 24:10

But remember. Immediately following our brief affliction is the glorious event we've been longing for, all of creation has been groaning in pain for, and what Jesus, our Creator, suffered and gave His life for...our becoming like Him so that we can be with Him forever.

We're going to find out what it means to enter "into the freedom of the glory of the children of God"!

Kinda puts a dent in Satan's plan, doesn't it.

About the Author: Kevin Carmody and Tammii Carmody came to know Jesus as their Lord in the late 1970’s. During the years following, they participated in a number of short-term ministry trips to Central America and Western Europe while raising their two children. In the mid 1990’s, The Lord asked them to consider Abraham’s “other” descendants who lived in the Middle East...the Arab nations. In response, they resigned executive positions that they held in their occupations and joined ALL NATIONS in 2003 to receive ministry training as field workers. The Carmodys have lived and served in the countries of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Germany, ministering to both Arabic and Farsi speaking peoples with the love and forgiveness of Jesus. They now reside in Arizona.

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