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Real Dudes,
We sang the following song at Church this past weekend. The line “Every heart longing for our King” stood out to me and reminded me of 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, especially verse 8. Hope the explanation below from gotquestions.org is helpful. A question to mull over…What does longing for the Lord look like and mean to you? Are you living as though you’re anticipating His return at any moment? Even so Come, Lord Jesus Come!!! Nate Song: Even so Come by Passion/Chris TomlinLike a bride Waiting for her groom We'll be a church Ready for You Every heart longing for our King We sing Even so come Lord Jesus come https://genius.com/Passion-even-so-come-live-lyrics What does it mean that to be “present with the Lord” when we are absent from the body (2 Corinthians 5:8)? In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the apostle Paul writes, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (KJV). The expression absent from the body refers to physical death. When this life ends, believers will be immediately ushered into the glorious presence of the Lord. Then we will see Him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). And, at that moment, we will be “present with the Lord.” To fully appreciate the significance of 2 Corinthians 5:8, it is important for us to review the immediate context. In 2 Corinthians 5:1–7, Paul contrasts the temporary nature of our earthly bodies with the eternal nature of our heavenly bodies. Once our earthly bodies are destroyed, “we have . . . an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (verse 1). Most translations of 2 Corinthians 5:8 emphasize the aspect of having an “eternal house,” saying that, at death we will be “at home with the Lord” (ESV, NIV, NLT, NASB, CSB, etc.). In our earthly state, we earnestly desire “to be clothed . . . with our heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:2), which will not leave us “naked” or without a dwelling place (verse 3). Our heavenly bodies will not be subject to decay or death (mortality). Instead, we will receive new bodies that are imperishable and immortal (verse 4; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:54). We know that God has prepared a heavenly home for us (John 14:2) because He “has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 5:5; cf. Romans 5:5 and Ephesians 1:14). Currently, the presence of God is a matter of faith (Hebrews 11:1) because we are “at home in the body” and “away from the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6). So, right now, “we live by faith, not by sight” (verse 7). It is in this context that Paul writes, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (verse 8, KJV). Physically, we cannot be in two places at the same time. If we are present in this world, we are absent from the ranks of heaven. But, for us believers in Christ, when we are absent from this world, we will be present with the Lord. We will have arrived at our true home. In the words of James M. Black, “When all of life is over and our work on earth is done, / And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there” (1893). Paul longed for the day when his sin-corrupted body would be replaced with a glorified one. For this reason, he viewed trials and tribulations as “light and momentary troubles” that could not be compared to “an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17; cf. Romans 8:18). This hope for an incorruptible body and eternal dwelling place gives us confidence in the face of suffering, as we know that our salvation is eternally secure (John 10:28–29). Because Paul was confident of his eternal destiny, he was not afraid to die (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). In fact, he welcomed death because he knew that he would be present with the Lord. In Philippians 1:21–24 he expresses a similar thought: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” This does not mean that Paul had a death wish. On the contrary, he was expressing confidence that death is not final, especially for Christians. Death is simply a transition into a glorious heavenly body. Therefore, we should not fear anything or anyone (Isaiah 25:8; Matthew 10:28). Second Corinthians 5:8 reminds believers that our ultimate home is not in this world, but in heaven. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Hence, we are called to be in the world but not of the world (Romans 12:2). As heavenly citizens, our allegiance is to God, not the world: “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20–21). When Christ returns, our earthly bodies will be exchanged for bodies fit for heaven. The hope of eternal life is the bedrock of Christianity. Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we know that death is not the end. And if we believe in Him for salvation from our sins, then we will live with Him in heaven (Romans 6:1). We will be present with the Lord and also reunited with loved ones who have passed away before us. This hope is not based on wishful thinking or blind faith but on the promises of God revealed in Scripture. https://www.gotquestions.org/present-with-the-Lord.html
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Real Dudes,
Does God Owe Me? Not own, but rather owe. We have a lady in our Senior Saints group at Church that recently found out that she has cancer. Her response, “Why not me? Who am I that God can’t give me cancer, and that He should have given it to someone else?” We live in such a way sometimes that surely communicates to God that He owes us something. When we’re not happy, then we’re asking Him why we’re not, or why He made us unhappy. For the word happy, we can replace it with, “When we’re not experiencing peace, joy, health, etc.” Why can’t there be a season for everything in each of our lives, including in our own life? Why do we feel we deserve more than what we have? Below is a great passage to consider this morning and to talk one-on-one to the Lord about. Enjoy, Nate Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT) A Time for Everything 3 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. Real Dudes,
Let me encourage you to read 1 Thessalonians 1:8 in a variety of Bible Versions. https://biblehub.com/1_thessalonians/1-8.htm And as you read this verse, try plugging your name in wherever you see the words “you” and “your.” Is it true? Could that be said about you by others that are close to you? If not, then what needs to change? May you be an example of what it looks like to share your faith and then see the fruit of it all around you. How do I do this? Where do I start? Here’s an article that’s a quick, yet helpful read https://www.gotquestions.org/evangelize-friends-family.html Cheering for you, enjoy! Nate I was speaking with someone recently and we were sharing with each other how things are going in our different ministries. I shared all the great things that God is doing here, and this is the response I received that caused me to stop for a second and give thanks to Him. This person said, “It’s so exciting when God allows us to see how much He’s working in a place where He invites us.” I love it…the place He invites us to. He called us here…He invited us here, and now we get a front row seat to see what He’s up to. Not only a front row seat, but He longs for us to participate in His work. Unbelievable!!!
Men…He’s inviting you – are you following even if it means having to give up some of your life comforts/familiarities? Mark 1:16-20 (NLT) The First Disciples 16 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him. 19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men. Mark 10:28-30 (NLT) 28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. |
AuthorNate Smith is a husband, a father of 6 girls, grandpa to 3 granddaughters and one grandson, a police and fire chaplain, a pastor, and has a passion to see men grow in Christ. 
#girldad including granddaughter
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