Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

John 2:19-21

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. John 2:19-21

I agree with this post on DesiringGod.com that states that Holy Week is the most important week in all of history. As such, I continue with one of the recommendations from the post to prepare for Holy Week, which is to read John Piper's 50-day devotional Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Today I read reason #25: To Become for Us the Place Where We Meet God.  Here, John Piper shares with believers what I find to be a deeply profound truth - certainly for myself.  What is surprising for me is that up until this morning, I had yet to recognize this truth or that more accurately God had yet to reveal it to me. Using John 2:19-21 as the emphasized text for the devotion today, Piper shares: "[w]hy did Jesus draw the connection between the Jewish temple and his own body? Because he came to take the place of the temple as the meeting place with God. With the coming of the Son of God in human flesh, ritual and worship would undergo profound change. Christ himself would become the final Passover lamb, the final priest, the final temple. They would all pass away, and he would remain." This is both a subtle but very important truth to discern and recognize - believers easily understand how the OT ceremonial law and ritual practices (animal sacrifice, etc.) passed away, and they also understand that we no longer need to go to a specific place to meet with Jesus, but they may not understand how Jesus became the place to meet with God.  The text today is echoed of course elsewhere as Piper points to Matthew 12:6, Colossians 2:9, and 1 Timothy 2:5.  Piper then describes how, unlike other faiths such as Judaism and Islam, "Christianity has no geographical center."  Simply put, it we want to see God we must repent, believe and we will see/experience Christ. Piper concludes the devotion for today but referring us to John 14:9, Matthew 10:40, 1 John 2:23, and John 5:23. Repent, believe in Christ and experience and see God!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God who sent His Son so that I could see and experience You, not just now but for eternity.  Thank You Father God.  I am not deserving of how You sent Your One and Only Son to die for me so that I could experience You in this life and for eternity in Heaven.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself energy and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today emphasizes that - as the devotion title makes clear -  Glory Is the Goal.  John Piper points us to text throughout scripture that provides evidence of how glory is the goal - these texts include:

• Seeing the glory of God is our ultimate hope: Romans 5:2, Jude 24
• God makes His glory known: Romans 9:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Titus 2:13
• Jesus, in all his person and work, is the incarnation and ultimate revelation of the glory of God: Hebrews 1:3, John 17:24
• Believers will partake and participate in God's glory to be revealed: 1 Peter 5:1, Romans 8:21
• God will glorify believers: 1 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:30
  

Piper continues by sharing that: "Seeing and sharing in God’s glory is our ultimate hope through the gospel of Christ.  Such a hope, that is really known and treasured, has a huge and decisive effect on our present values and choices and actions.  Get to know the glory of God. Study the glory of God and the glory of Christ. Study the glory of the world that reveals the glory of God, and the glory of the gospel that reveals the glory of Christ.  Treasure the glory of God in all things and above all things.  Study your soul. Know the glory you are seduced by, and know why you treasure glories that are not God’s glory."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and worthy of all honor and glory.  Thank You Jesus for sharing Your glory with me and all believers and for allowing us to share in Your glory.  I am not deserving of how You bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, and John Piper discusses how seeing the glory of God is believers' "ultimate hope".  He provides the following texts for us to understand and appreciate God's glory:

• Jude 1:24
• Romans 9:23
• 1 Thessalonians 2
• Titus 2:13
• Hebrews 1:3 
• John 17:24
• 1 Peter 5:1
• Romans 8:21
• 1 Corinthians 2:7 
• 2 Corinthians 4:17
• Romans 8:30        

Through these texts Piper wants us to "[s]ee and shar[e] in God’s glory[, as it] is our ultimate hope through the gospel of Christ." He writes that [s]uch a hope, that is really known and treasured, has a huge and decisive effect on our present values and choices and actions."  Piper wraps the devotion with the following exhortation: "Get to know the glory of God. Study the glory of God and the glory of Christ. Study the glory of the world that reveals the glory of God, and the glory of the gospel that reveals the glory of Christ. Treasure the glory of God in all things and above all things. Study your soul. Know the glory you are seduced by, and know why you treasure glories that are not God’s glory." Amen!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I have seen and experienced Your glory in the written word - I am in awe of You.  I am not deserving of how You display the works of Your glory in my life.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 4-8:1

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5:13-14

I resumed my D-Group's study of Revelation using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide.  My focus tonight is the memory verse for this week - Revelation 5:13-14.  In Revelation 4-5 John is given a vision of Heaven where God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all present and God is seated on the throne and Jesus is represented by the slain lamb who has the authority to open the scroll and seven seals that reveal God's plan for the end times. In 5:11 Jesus is worshiped and in 5:13-14 both God the Father and Jesus are worshiped using nearly identical words used in 5:11. John Piper, in a sermon where series where he explores hope, he ends the series by summarizing it, and in this summary he highlights three truths about hope: 

1. "First, the glory of God is very great.
2. Second, the glory of God is a sure hope in Jesus Christ.
3. Third, the hope of the glory of God fills the heart with joy and exultation."

 In looking at (1) specifically, Piper highlights ten ways the Bible (New Testament) gives us glimpses of the greatness of God's glory, including Revelation 5:11-14, where he uses these verses in Revelation to indicate: "[s]urely the purpose of giving us a glimpse into this heavenly worship is to make us feel the greatness of the Lord and the tremendous worth of his glory."

Finally, Piper wants us to, as Paul writes in Romans 5 to "rejoice in [the] hope of the glory of God."

Indeed - I am grateful for the blessing of Revelation to see God's glory and the greatness of God's glory, how it is a certainty, and how I get to share in the hope of the glory of God - and of course for this I am certainly joyful!  Thank You Jesus!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your glory is great indeed, as it sure, and I get to share in it and be joyful because of it - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues daily - worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on - building on my post yesterday - how experiencing the glory of God should be our daily pursuit. Piper encourages us to "[g]et to know the glory of God. Study the glory of God and the glory of Christ. Study the glory of the world that reveals the glory of God, and the glory of the gospel that reveals the glory of Christ. Treasure the glory of God in all things and above all things."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God, one who loves me and who has revealed to me His glory - and I treasure Your glory.  I am grateful for Your glory.  Your glory has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the grace and compassion You pour out for me.  My heart is often black with sin - including worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.