“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
As believers in Christ Jesus, whether yet living in this world or absent from our mortal bodies, our desire, our goal, is to be acceptable and pleasing to Christ Jesus, our Savior, knowing that we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged according to what we have done while still in our earthly bodies, whether that be good or bad. The only way to be acceptable in God’s eyes is to turn from our sinful ways and look to Christ and His cross for pardon and forgiveness and then seek His help and strength to live for Him according to His perfect will.
Forgive me, O God, for my sins through the shed blood of Christ Jesus, my Savior, and cleanse my heart so that I might seek to live for You according to Your Word and please You in all I think, say, and do. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Although we cannot yet see it with our eyes, we as believers trust God’s sure promises and believe that, when we die and our souls depart from our mortal bodies, we will enter into the very presence of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Rev. 7:9-17). Living by faith in God’s promises, we are willing to be absent from our earthly bodies and be present with the Lord.
O merciful Savior, grant me faith to believe the promises of Your Word and trust that You have atoned for my sins and will receive me into Your presence when I die and that You will raise up my mortal body on the last day and change it into a glorious heavenly body that I may dwell in Your presence forever. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:16-17
Through Spirit-wrought faith, we trust in Christ as our Savior and are children of God. As such, we have an inheritance awaiting us with Christ Jesus in heaven. However, as followers of Christ in this world, we can expect that we will also share in His sufferings before we share with Him in glory.
O Savior, grant that we hold fast to You in faith through the persecutions and sufferings we must endure in this world as Your followers that we might also share with You in glory. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 5:5
God created and worked in us for this very thing — that we might have our earthly bodies changed into glorious and heavenly bodies and dwell forever in full communion and fellowship with God, our Maker. As a pledge and guarantee of His plan and purpose, He has given us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us and continue to work in us so that we might continue in repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, our Savior, and become more and more like Him.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12). Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11
If the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in us, He will also raise us up from spiritual death and make us alive to God through faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross and move us to live for Him.
O gracious Holy Spirit, wash away my sins in Jesus’ shed blood and raise me up to live for my Savior. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
