Rejoice in Hope

Please watch this short video from John Piper.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-saddest-and-happiest-reality-in-the-universe

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The more I know of God and the more I see of His Bountiful Love, the more Glorious I recognize Him to be.  The greater His Glory shines  a brilliant light into my life, the more I realize how utterly unworthy I am.  I see the darkness that lurks inside this human heart so filled with selfish desires.  So busy with the things of this world that I quickly forget how precious a treasure I have been given. The guilt and the weight of who I am would utterly crush me to the ground if it were not for this truth found in Romans 5.  Because of the Cross which Christ so willingly bore for me, I am justified by faith and faith alone.  In the courts of heaven, all the charges against me have been stamped "not guilty" because Christ paid the price for my sin.  Far beyond that, I am declared righteous; cloaked with His righteousness.  Despite that there are moments when I do not display Him as fully as I should.  Perhaps in laziness the mirror of my life which should reflect Him gets covered in smoke or soot and needs to be polished by the steady filling of His presence, by prayer, and by the diligent study of His word.   Yet, this is the greatest Grace by which I can stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God.  He has promised that whom he called, He will justify, and whom He justifies, He will Sanctify.  I will look like Christ one day. 2 Corinthians 3: 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  Little by little, glory by glory; I am being transformed.  That is a promise I can cling tight to and rejoice in that hope of Future Grace  which proclaims that one day I will look like Him.  Such love, such grace compels me to stand and ever press forward Philippians 3: "12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

So, my dear friends; I offer you this.  Whatever chains of guilt may try to drag you down today, whenever Satan whispers to you of your failures and inadequacies–remember this, you can stand and rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God.  God will never fail to keep His promise.  My prayer for you today as you go forward through this day is "18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,"  Ephesians 1

The following song is one that I wrote many years ago; but, still speaks back to me as a reminder of His wondrous all sufficiency.  I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LbHd6eZrgk&feature=g-upl