Why do we suffer?

One reason we suffer is so that God's power might be displayed in our lives (2Cor 4:7). What does that tell us about the value and worth of God's power being displayed?

Sanctification

"We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

So how are we transformed? According to scripture, "with unveiled face" (meaning we see things as they really are) "beholding the glory of the Lord". So by gazing upon, beholding, and savoring God's glory we are changed. Then we learn, "for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit". So this is a sovereign act of God the Holy Spirit working this transformation in us by way of our gazing upon His glory, after having already opened our minds to see the truth. It is all from God working in us but through the means of our loving, focusing on, gazing upon, and savoring Christ! That's how we become more holy...sounds a lot more appealing than following a bunch of rules and religious rituals! But once we're on the path of change from one degree of glory to the next, we love the rules and the rituals...oh the wisdom and majesty of our God!

The Fragrance of Christ

The Lord probed me deeply during this morning's devotion time. Pauls speaks in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 of being a fragrance of Christ to God and the fragrance of Christ everywhere he goes - a fragrance of death to those who are perishing but the fragrance of life to those who are chosen for eternal life and are being saved. Wow, the fragrance of Christ to God! Paul says specifically, "and through us [He] diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place for we are to God the fragrance of Christ..." (vs 14-15). Later in vs 16 he exclaims, "and who is sufficient for these things"! The answer of course is nobody is sufficient! Only Christ through His transforming power and grace in our lives can make us a fragrant aroma unto God. And by that fragrance we bring honor and glory to Him as we go about in every place living and speaking in a Christ honoring way. That's what I want to be...a fragrant aroma of Christ to God! Oh Lord, please work in me in such a way that I become and remain a fragrance of Christ to you.

Happy Birthday John Calvin

A little late I admit since John Calvin's 500th birthday was July 10 of this year 2009. But, it is still profitable for Christians especially to reflect again on Calvin's contribution to recovering the Gospel for the Church and refocusing the Church on the glory of God.

Calvin's main focus was the centrality of the glory and majesty of God. We all will do well to maintain or take up that same focus for it is the singular focus of scripture itself and I do believe God Himself! Here is a good Calvin quote to ponder...in response to a Catholic Cardinal in the early days of his reforming work, Calvin rebuked the Cardinal's focus on eternal life and salvation (not bad topics right...?) as being man-centered in nature and not properly exalting of Christ's glory:

"Your zeal for heavenly life is a zeal which keeps a man entirely devoted to himself, and does not, even by one expression, arouse him to sanctify (hallow, glorify) the name of God". Later in the same letter of response Calvin explains to the Cardinal that what he and we all should do is, "set before man, as the prime motive of his existence, zeal to illustrate the glory of God".

Calvin gave his life to exalting the majesty and glory of God. A wonderful result from a few minutes of remembering John Calvin would be a posthumous challenge by the great reformer to rethink our "prime motive for existence". Are we living to glorify God? Will we die to glorify Him?