DEVOTIONAL FOR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH
Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Life in the kingdom”
Our Bible verse for today: “”Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Luke 24:39
Our thought for today: “In the eternal kingdom we will have a resurrection body.”
“…because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” – So said the resurrected Jesus. In His resurrection body He was flesh and bones. He was the Jesus they had always known, and yet different too. His resurrection body was identifiable, physical, and He could eat. And yet, it also had spiritual qualities. He could appear and disappear in an instant. Without effort He could pass through solid walls and locked doors.
But does that mean our resurrection bodies will be like that too? The Apostle Paul seemed to think so: “He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.” Philippians 3:21 (see also Romans 6:5; 8:11)
In his book “Heaven” Randy Alcorn writes, “Jesus called people in Heaven by name, including Lazarus in the intermediate heaven (Luke 16:25) and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the eternal Heaven (Matthew 8:11). A name denotes a distinct identity, an individual. The fact that people in Heaven can be called by the same name they had on Earth demonstrates they remain the same people. In Heaven I’ll be Randy Alcorn – without the bad parts – forever. If you know Jesus, you’ll be you – without the bad parts – forever.”
Also, “Your place in Heaven will seem to be made for you and you alone, because you were made for it – made for it stitch by stitch as a glove is made for a hand. What makes you you? It’s not only your body but also your memory, personality traits, gifts, passions, preferences, and interests. In the final resurrection, I believe all of these facets will be restored and amplified, untarnished by sin and the Curse.”
Alcorn also writes, “You will be you in Heaven. Who else would you be? If Bob, a man on Earth, is no longer Bob when he gets to Heaven, then, in fact, Bob did not go to Heaven. If when I arrive in Heaven I’m not the same person with the same identity, history, memory, then “I” didn’t go to Heaven.”
Tomorrow we’ll continue exploring what the Bible reveals about our resurrection body and what life in the eternal kingdom will be like. (By the way, the answer to yesterday’s question is “yes” I’m certain there will be ice cream in heaven – chocolate chip cookie dough. It will have no calories and it will be good for you. In heaven it’s broccoli that has all the calories.)
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 