Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Dearly beloved of God, since you are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right side of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on the things on the earth, for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.
Dearly beloved, do not be discouraged. The outer man is perishing, but the inner man is renewed day by day; by the riches of His glory He strengthens us with power by His spirit in the inner man.
Our momentary light affliction produces for us an eternal, exceedingly heavy weight of glory while we focus not on the things that are seen but on the things that are not seen. What we see is temporary; the things we do not see are eternal, dearly beloved.
The whole creation groans and travails together until now as a mother travails in childbirth. Not only does it travail, but even we ourselves who have the first fruit, which is the spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the inheritance of sonship, that is, the redemption of our body.
Dearly beloved, we were saved unto hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. Why would anyone hope for that which he sees?
On the other hand, if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience. Christ is coming, make no mistake about it.
We are the children of the One True and Living God; He is our Father, and we are His heirs, and joint heirs with Christ, so that if we do suffer together, we shall also be glorified together as heirs.
Dear ones, the sufferings of this present time are not comparable with the glory that is to be revealed in us! It will take the Father the ages to come to display the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness to us in Christ! Look unto Him and what He has prepared for us in Christ.
Thank God for the victory He has given us through Jesus Christ our Lord; He even gave us the victory over death itself. Who else in heaven or on earth has such glorious power?
In Christ Jesus our Lord who loved us, we are more than conquerors today and forevermore.
We are super conquerors whether in life or in death, in the senses realm and in the spirit realm, today and forevermore; in every dimension we are more than conquerors through him, and nothing will ever be able to separate us from God’s love for us that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Therefore, dearly beloved, be stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. The time is short; he is coming!
We are born again and have a living hope with an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that does not fade away; it is reserved in heaven for us. Through believing, we are protected by the power of God unto salvation which is ready to be received any day now.
May the God of the hope fill you with all joy and peace in the right way of believing so that you may abound in the hope by the power from the Holy Spirit. Our hope is laid up for us in heaven; faint not, dearly beloved.
Anyone who has this hope in Christ purifies himself, even as he is pure. Keep your eye on the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus our Lord; you will not be disappointed in your expectation of him when he appears. We will see him face to face and be as he is!
What are you looking at, dearly beloved?