“Earth's
greatest king would be glad to change his crown for your helmet (of Salvation) at
his dying hour.
I do not believe
you have it if your heart is not thankful for it. 1Pet.
1:3 (AMP) Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to
an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 [Born anew] into an inheritance which
is beyond the reach of change and
decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, Do
you have heaven in hope? It is more than if the whole world were in your hand.
Earth's greatest king would be glad to change his crown for your helmet at his
dying hour. His crown will not get him this helmet, but your helmet will bring
you a crown, a crown not of gold, but of glory, which once on will never be
taken off.
Remember,
Christian, it has not been long since you had only a fearful expectation of
hell instead of a hope of salvation. But God took away the chains of guilt
which weighed you soul down in despair and gave you favor in His celestial
court. Of all men in the world, you are the most indebted to God's mercy. If
you thank Him for crust and rags-- food and clothing-- how much more should you
thank Him for your crown?
After you have
praised Him with your spirit, you should collect the praises to God of your
friends too-- and then, in heaven, continue thanking Him throughout eternity
for your helmet of salvation. It will be a debt you will never be able fully to
pay.
Live up to your
hopes. Let there be a suitable agreement between your principles and your
practices-- your hope of heaven and your walk on earth. As you look for
salvation, walk the way your eye is looking. If the Christian fails to walk in
the worthiness of his calling, he betrays God's hope for him. And the Word
emphasizes the necessity of this walk. It stirs us up to act "Rom. 16:2 (AMP) That you may receive her in
the Lord [with a Christian welcome], as saints (God’s people) ought to receive
one another. And help her in whatever matter she may require assistance from
you, for she has been a helper of many including myself [shielding us from
suffering]. "Phil. 1:27
(AMP) Only be sure as citizens so to conduct yourselves [that] your
manner of life [will be] worthy of the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, so
that whether I [do] come and see you or am absent, I may hear this of you: that
you are standing firm in united spirit and
purpose, striving side by side and
contending with a single mind for the faith of the glad tidings (the Gospel).”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian
in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S
Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617
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