Truthworks

“Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” (Luke 13:8).

Manure is the “black gold” of the gardening world. It contains a rich and wide range of minerals and nutrients, providing the three main chemicals all plants need — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In addition, manure also adds to the composition of the soil and promotes easier and healthier root growth. So, seeing its great value, why wouldn’t the Lord use it on us?

The Holy Spirit digs about our lives to expose our roots. He orchestrates those invasive things that disrupt and overturn us, and He supplies those unpredictable people who frustrate and upset us – all to make sure we are trusting in Christ alone. Paul wrote, “Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him.” (Colossians 2:7).

If you and I draw nourishment from any other person or thing, it will be uncovered and corrected. And it must be, if we truly want to be the very best we can be.

When we put our trust in man we will always be disappointed. Our hopes will fade, our effectiveness diminish, and our lives become aimless. In fact, we become so preoccupied with what others have promised and failed to deliver, that we lose our ability to see the good that comes from God despite our duplicity. We sulk and sag in silence; praise long having left our hearts and lips. Such is the estate of those who look to the arm of flesh for deliverance.

But when we trust in the Lord, He commands rich blessings upon us. Here is what He told the prophet Jeremiah, “I will bless the person who puts his trust in Me. He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. He is not afraid when hot weather comes, because his leaves stay green; he has no worries when there is no rain; he keeps on bearing fruit.” (see Jeremiah 17:7-8 GNB)

Are you trusting in Man or in the Lord? Is your heart set upon riches? Is your confidence in the flesh? Here comes a shovel! Are you trusting in your abilities, your looks, or your own wit and charm? Here comes a herd of cattle! My friends, if we seek stability and security in anything other than Christ, or look for safety and significance in any one apart from Him – the scoop and the poop are just around the corner.

“To what purpose” we ask, “is all this digging and dunging?” Nothing but this: that we might be strong and fruitful. Would you really want the Lord to leave you alone? Would you be content to settle for less than you could’ve been? To accomplish less than you could’ve done? Surely not!

So bring it on, Lord; dig me and dung me! Burrow deep into the unseen places of my anxious heart, and leave not a single root holding on to anything or anyone other than You. And then pack the manure deep and wide, and pile it high as the sky! Don’t let me be a flimsy perfumed man – pale and weak, bending to the whims and fancies of this fallen world. Make me like a tree planted by streams of living water, that brings forth fruit in season. Make me a prosperous man, whose leaves never wither. Amen.

Dear reader, you may as well start praying like this, ‘cause He is determined to do it anyway. Scoop, and poop, and all.

Let me conclude this tomorrow with a short story…one that you will definitely be telling your friends!

“Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” (Luke 13:8).

It has happened to all of us sometime or another. Usually in the spring time, but not exclusively. Fact is, it can happen anytime, and almost anywhere – even when and where you least expect it. Indeed, the more unlikely the place and time, the more astonishing it is to our unsuspecting senses. In particular, our sense of smell.

You wake up on a cheerful sunlit morning to new mercies and a fresh cup of coffee. Birds are singing in the trees, and a few friendly neighborhood noises hum in the background – giggling kids jumping on a trampoline, a one-eyed dog barking at a squirrel, and the drone of a lawn mower a block away. You step out the front door to greet the day and – wham! The full bodied aroma of rural America has been dumped somewhere in your immediate proximity, and you are located directly downwind.

Though no cattle have been seen in these parts for nigh unto fifty years, it smells like a truck load of ‘em spent the night two doors down, laughing and drinking and having a party. Piles of manure – fertilizer they call it these days – sit in the middle of the street waiting for the lawn crew to disperse it with creative dispatch in a newly landscaped yard. As far as you’re concerned, right now would not be soon enough.

You can’t breathe, at least not through your nose, ‘cause the smell will make your eyes roll back in your head. And you dare not breathe through your mouth, ‘cause that almost feels like your eating something. So you gasp with hands cupped over your face, and your eyes go crossed for lack of oxygen. Strangely enough, however, you somehow adapt to the odor and manage to make it through the unsolicited ordeal. And when its all said and done you see the worth of it in the lush, award-winning landscaping just down the street. Who knows, you might even order a pile or two yourself seeing how well things turned out.

Jesus told a story along these lines one day. “Once upon a time,” He said, “a man had a fig-tree growing in his garden, and when he came to look for the figs, he found none at all. Disappointed, he said to his gardener, ‘Look, I have come expecting fruit on this fig-tree for three years and never found any. Better cut it down. Why should it use up valuable ground? This is space we can use for something else.’ And the gardener replied, ‘Master, don’t touch it this year till I have had a chance to dig round it and give it a bit of manure. If it bears fruit after that, it will be all right. But if it doesn’t, then you can cut it down.’” (see Luke 13:6-9).

The old King James puts it this way, “Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” The phrase literally means “to dig all about it, and throw manure throughout it.” In other words, this was not going to be a neat and tidy job, wrapped up in a few surgical minutes. No, it was going to be prolonged, deliberate, disruptive, messy, and stinky.

Do you see any similarities to how your life has been lately? If so, be of good cheer, you are undergoing the Ministry of Manure. It seems that each one of us sometimes need our roots exposed, and a good dose of compost packed about us in order for us to grow strong, and become our most fruitful best.

Tune in tomorrow for another truck load!

“He looked for a City which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:10).

Clearly you have come too far to turn back now. But not knowing how much farther you have to go leaves you in a quandary. Take heart, pilgrim; it is not much further. The best thing you can do right now is to take stock of what you have.

Look now among your stuff, search carefully and you will find it; find the handwritten invitation from the King Himself, beckoning you to leave your own land and come to dwell with Him. It contains a promise that cannot be broken, a promise of peace in the valley and rest for the weary. A promise of forgiveness, freedom, and fulfillment – made by the great Promise Keeper.

Also, look about you along the way for there are the etchings and markings of earlier travelers – the tracings of those who have already passed this way before you, leaving you notes and signs of encouragement to speed you on your way. It is as if they knew you were coming after them, and that you would need to see, read, and know this or that.

There is Abraham, the first pioneer into this great Friendship, saying, “I was seventy five when I set out on this journey, not knowing where I was going. And though the way was fraught with difficulties all along, God was faithful to His promise. He has blessed me indeed. Therefore, weary wanderer, go on still toward that City whose builder and maker is God. For it is surely there, and you will be most welcomed therein.”

There is Moses who says, “I endured, seeing Him who is invisible. Come along now, for there is a place near Him where you can stand on a rock. He will hide you in the cleft of the rock, and make all his goodness pass before you. Up and at ‘em, friend; hasten to that place – for it will be worth it all when you see Jesus.”

There is David singing softly, “The Lord is my shepherd, and He is yours also. He leads us in the way that is right and brings us into His house, refreshing us at His banquet table. Come, friend; onward. There is a place set here for you, and the family is not complete while you are yet in the woods.”

There is Paul, beset on every side by dangers, toils and snares – the likes of which few of us will ever know – and he says, “None of these things move me; so, don’t let them trouble you at all. There is a crown laid up that bears your name, fashioned by the Lord Himself. And He is even now waiting your arrival to place it on your head. Come along then and enter into your inheritance.”

And there is John, Poet of the Apocalypse, now resting by the river of life, reminding us that “He will wipe away every tear. For there is no more curse, no more night, no more sin or sorrow.”

And there is the Spirit and the Bide who say, “Come.”

And always there is the Lord, who walks with you in the glen and converses with you along the way. “Rise, let us be going,” Christ beckons.

And so, taking fresh breath, you stand upright and strike out yet again, ever onward in hope of finding a better country. And because your heart is so inclined, God is not ashamed to be called your God.

Perhaps this short poem says it best for all of us,

Light after darkness, gain after loss;
       Strength after weakness, crown after cross;
Sweet after bitter, hope after fears;
       Home after wandering, praise after tears;
Sheaves after sowing, sun after rain;
       Sight after mystery, peace after pain;
Joy after sorrow, calm after blast;
       Rest after weariness, sweet rest at last;
Near after distant, gleam after gloom;
       Love after loneliness, life after tomb;
After long agony, rapture of bliss;
       Right was the pathway, leading to this.
                                                      ~ Anon

“Are we there yet?” No, not quite; but we are closer than you can imagine!

“He looked for a City which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:10).

It is a question that has been asked countless times on adventurous treks across great distances throughout the history of travel, “Are we there yet?” Some trips seem to take forever, and so the question is repeated incessantly by some whining soul stuck in the back seat, while a besieged dad furrows his brow and a long-suffering mom rolls her eyes — “Are we there yet?”

There are, of course, a few other questions tossed in for variety. “How much farther is it? How much longer is this going to take? When are we going to get there?” We can all relate to this, for we have each been the kid who asked the questions; and the parent who ran out of patience somewhere between Denver and Dallas. “Are we there yet?”

But the question goes beyond the nuisance of a child trapped in a trip with nothing more to do than play the alphabet game, or I Spy. It is a question asked by travelers of all ages who journey through life in quest of something – something more than they have known; something other than the status quo; something sure, something secure, and something satisfying. And when we peel back all the superficial layers we discover we are really seeking something spiritual. Indeed, in the sacred words of Scripture, “We seek a city, whose builder and maker is God.”

Perhaps you are one such pilgrim. A sojourner who set out long ago in the springtime of hope, stocked with enough supplies to sustain you during those arduous desert crossings and bring you refreshed and tan to your desired destination. Resolved in your purpose, decisive in your steps, confident in your God – you pressed forth convinced that just over the next mountain your eyes would catch sight of the city, whose builder and maker is God. But, alas, the road stretches onward for what seems like miles. In the words of George MacDonald, “For the sake of the vision God longs to give you, you are denied the vision you want.”

 In other words, “No, we’re not there yet.”

And now, long into your journey, you find that there are more mountains than you at first anticipated. And dark woodlands with brush so thick it tore at your clothing, and left more than a few scratches on your arms and legs. Then there were bugs, and snakes, and spiders, and bogs. And there have been bandits who have pilfered your pouch and depleted your stock. Rodents that have nibbled away at the grain, while fears chip away at your soul.

And though you have suffered the blow of many misfortunes, yet your faith is still undaunted. Sorta. And deep down in places you don’t like to talk about there is a gnawing doubt about whether or not you are really doing the prudent thing. Whether or not this journey is worth it after all. Whether or not those who thought you foolish to leave on such a fancy voyage of faith were right.

“Are we there yet?” No, pilgrim, we are not. But tomorrow I will tell you something that will put a bounce back in your step, and rejuvenate your battered soul with a living hope.

“For there is a greater power with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7).

These empowering words were spoken centuries ago by a good King named Hezekiah, as he sought to instill faith and hope into the hearts of his frightened people. And his words proved true, for God defeated their dreadful foe.

And as for us, these words are even more true today, for we share in Christ’s triumph over all the power of the enemy. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Yes, because of what Christ did for us at the Cross, it is now said of us as it was of Hezekiah, “So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side.” (see 1 Ch.32:20-22). Did you catch that last line? God took care of them on every side. Wow. Isn’t that what you want Him to do for you?

Earlier we asked the question, “How does God reward His faithful servant? What does Hezekiah get for all his gallant duty?” The answer is profound – Hezekiah had the high honor of being the one king in all history who defeated the King of Assyria! You see, God set Sennacherib up for destruction by permitting him access into Hezekiah’s life!

And is it possible God does the same in our lives today? Is it possible that He allows the devil access for no other reason but to bring him to ruin and an open shame?

Is it possible that your faithfulness, your devotion, your service are often the occasion for the Lord to draw the devil into a trap? Could it be that we are sometimes used as “devil bait” – the means whereby the Lord lures Satan into battle, and gives us the honor of actually overcoming the wicked one?

Oh how humiliating this must be to Satan, that Christ has placed His victory in the hands of school children who by faith put the devil to fright and flight! What must the hordes of hell think of their dark master now? He who once wielded such power as to shake nations, now buckles when a little girl prays!

My friend, take a new perspective on those unexpected invasions of your life; those times when darkness gathers about you though you have long been faithful and true. Brace yourself not for battle, but for victory.

A celebration is coming, for the Lord has decided to promote you for your service, and to distinguish you with a badge of honor — by the defeat of a dreadful foe at your hands.

“For there is a greater power with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7).

The Bible says that the king of Assyria “laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.” The fact is that God had indeed blessed Hezekiah, so much so that the king of Assyria became envious to the point of war. He invaded in order to possess for himself the many blessings God had showered upon Hezekiah.

Sennacherib brandished his blade, and bellowed out his demands to Hezekiah in full expectation of an immediate and cowering surrender – just as many other nations before had done. He could not have been more mistaken.

Hezekiah, good man that he was, never doubted the Lord for a moment, nor did he fear Sennacherib for an instant. Instead, he rallied the people and encouraged them, saying, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from the words of king Hezekiah (see 1 Ch.32:7,8).

While Sennacherib amassed his army and prepared for a full frontal assault, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah bowed their heads in prayer. And the Lord answered them. The Bible says, “the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.”

Hey, you want to know how powerful God is? He sent one angel – ONE! And annihilated Sennacherib’s army. Wow! What do you suppose an entire army of angels could do?

And what of Sennacherib? What happened to him? The Bible goes on to say, “he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword.”

Those who follow in the footsteps of Satan are doomed to meet his own fate. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isaiah 14:12). In this story Sennacherib is a figure representing Satan. Just as Sennacherib met a disgraceful end, so likewise will the devil.

Isn’t this in fact exactly what happened to Satan at the cross? Jesus, having accomplished everything His Father sent him to do, finally goes up Calvary’s mountain to die upon an old rugged cross. And just as Sennacherib laid siege to Judah, Satan surely must have thought his moment of ultimate conquest had come as he watched Jesus die at the hands of the Romans. But, in the same manner that God had baited the Assyrian king into a snare from which there was no escape – so likewise the devil was drawn and quartered by Christ at the Cross!

Tomorrow, we’ll finish up this three part series by showing what all this means for you and me today!

“For there is a greater power with us than with him” (2 Chronicles 32:7).

Have you ever wondered why the Lord let’s bad things happen to good people? It’s a dilemma that has vexed the minds of God-fearing men and women down through the ages. Obviously, there are factors at work here that we don’t yet fully understand or appreciate.

While reading my Bible I came upon a curious passage that gives some insight into how and why the Lord sometimes works in such an intriguing manner. The Bible says, “After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself” (2 Chronicles 32:1).

At first this struck me as, well — unfair. I mean, here is guy – Hezekiah — who was a very zealous, devout, and good man; who did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.

He reinstituted the Passover Feast, which had long been (if you’ll pardon the pun) passed over. He restored the Temple, which had been desecrated. He removed all the remnants of idolatry throughout the land. He re-established the neglected Levitical priesthood, and saw that they were properly compensated for their services. He reformed the upper echelons of government , and thereby brought a great revival throughout the nation.

In fact, The Bible says, “In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:21 NIV). See what I mean? He was a good, good man; and a true and righteous king.

And what is the Lord’s response? How does God reward this faithful servant? What does Hezekiah get for all his gallant duty? Simply this — an invasion of his land by Sennacherib, the dreaded King of Assyria; the single, most feared empire of the day!

And, as far as we can tell, the Lord did nothing to stop Sennacherib. Rather, the Lord actually permitted the invasion and empowered the invaders. But why? I’ll answer that in just a minute.

But first, let me ask you a personal question. Have you ever wanted to cry out to heaven, “Hey, what kind of a deal is this?” Have you ever wondered why your faithful service to God seems often to go unnoticed or unrewarded? Or why, no matter how good you are, bad things just keep happening?

Like David, we often ask, “Why do the wicked prosper?” Indeed, why do they?

And, remember the old campfire song? “Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day long. While there are others living about us, never molested though in the wrong.” Exactly. I wonder if Hezekiah may have whistled that tune when Sennacherib showed up with his army.

The song does go on to say, “Further along we’ll know more about it; further along we’ll understand why.” That’s just terrific; kinda gives me a warm fuzzy feeling all over.

OK. So back to my question, Why did God permit and empower Sennacherib to invade Hezekiah’s land? Are you ready for this? Because He was drawing the arrogant King of Assyria into a trap!

And tomorrow we’ll see how the story turns out.

“Examine me, O LORD,” whispered David, “and prove me; try my reins and my heart” (Psa 26:2).

Here is an expanded paraphrase of this prayer: “Examine me, O Lord, from head to foot; order your battery of tests. Make sure I’m fit inside and out. Test my thoughts and find out what I am like. Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and affections. Look closely into my heart and mind, and judge my desires and thoughts. Go for it, Jesus; and don’t stop until You are done!”

Is this something you are ready to pray? Are you prepared for the Lord to answer such a prayer? He is more than ready to respond. What is it that holds you back? Is it fear of being found out? Is it guilt over something you have done? Is it shame over something that was done to you? Is it pride? Or, is it unbelief?

None of these things are worthy of your life, and you should not allow any of them to limit you from being who God created you to be, and fully experiencing all that the Lord has purposed for you. The truth is, He already knows what’s in your heart – and, He loves you anyway. The exam is for your benefit; not His.

There was a man who shrugged off his need for such examination. He was a rich man, who lived for only one purpose – to build bigger estates and expand his assets so as to secure for himself a life above and beyond the need for anything, or anyone. He enjoyed great success and fared sumptuously throughout his days upon this earth. Yet, in the end he had nothing. “Fool,” was the final word facing him as he stepped from Time into Eternity. For on the night his soul was required of him, nothing of what he had laid up was of any use in the presence of Almighty God. (see Luke 12:16-21).

Jesus taught that Life does not consist of the things a man possesses. So, when it comes to taking inventory – we must look past our bank accounts, our educational degrees, our celebrated accomplishments, cherished awards, and other personal achievements. We must look instead to the inner chambers of our souls. What do you have in there that will carry on beyond the grave? That, in the final analysis, is what matters most of all.

Some years ago I came upon a wondrous poem in an old book. I was profoundly impacted when I first read it, and have carried it deep in my heart now for several years. Each time I reflect upon it, I am presented anew with a question of where I am as I journey through life. Indeed, the poem itself highlights the very passage of my soul through this pilgrim world. It will do the same for you.

As you read it you, too, will find yourself in its brief stanzas. There are only four, yet they comprehensively sum up the present condition of every person living in the earth. This short poem is about you. In fact, it is in one way or another your very confession at this moment in your life. Here, read it and you will see what I mean.

O the shame and bitter sorrow
that a time could ever be
when I let my Savior’s mercy
plead in vain, and proudly answered,
“All of self and none of Thee.”

Yet He found me.
I beheld Him dying on the cursed tree.
I heard Him pray, “Forgive him Father.”
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self and some of Thee.”

Day by day His tender mercy,
healing, helping, guiding me;
sweet and strong, and O so patient,
brought me lower till I whispered,
“Less of self and more of Thee.”

Now, higher than the highest heavens,
deeper than the deepest sea.
Lord, at last Thy love has conquered.
Grant me now my soul’s desire:
“None of self and all of Thee!”
Anonymous

See what I mean? Somewhere in the middle of reading that poem your heart said something to you. What did it say? And what are you going to do about it? Which of the four phases best depicts where you are in life right now? Honestly. What would others say? What would the Lord say? Is it possible that the time has come for you to move to the next phase? Couldn’t you take just one more step forward, onward, and upward ere time end and you come up short of what your life could have been?

In other words, have you taken inventory lately?

“Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” (Psalm 26:2).

There is in every man or woman who desires to be truly successful and effective in life, an intuitive sense that requires of them a personal commitment to self-examination so as to insure they will have what it takes to deliver the goods when the moment of opportunity knocks.

Indeed, inherent to every significant advance in life is a time of individual introspection; a season when we take inventory and honestly assess who we are, what we’ve got, where we are headed, and how we plan to get there.

Inventory. Webster’s defines it as “an itemized list of current assets; a catalog of the property of an individual or an estate. A list of goods on hand. A survey of resources. A list of traits, preferences, attitudes, interests, or abilities used to evaluate personal characteristics or skills.”

Have you taken inventory lately?

There are defining moments in life when we each need to take inventory; not so much as it pertains to material wealth or other tangible possessions, but rather as it concerns the condition of our souls. We need to take stock on the welfare of our spirit; a real heart examination – not of the cardiovascular pump, but of the deepest interior of our very selves.

However, our inspections can be misleading, for our self-perceptions are not always trustworthy. “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing,” was the boast of one sad lot of Christians who lived long ago in a town called Laodicea. But when Christ took inventory of their lives, His report was altogether different. “You don’t know how bad off you are,” Jesus said, “you are pitiable like a blind beggar, poor like a miserable wretch, threadbare and homeless like a poverty-stricken outcast” (see Revelation 3:17).

We tend to see ourselves as we want to be, rather than as we are.

Honesty is crucial if our inventory is to serve any real purpose. For if we lie to ourselves at this point, then we have failed before we take even the first step. And to insure honesty, we really need someone else to assist us in our self-evaluation; someone who loves us, and will be objective in speaking truthfully to the vital issues in our lives.

Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight. Solomon understood this long ago, and wrote, “He that is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbor comes and searches him out” (Proverbs 18:17). And again, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD ponders the hearts” (Proverbs 21:2).

Indeed, who better to examine us than the Lord? We’ll discuss this in more detail tomorrow.

“Everyone who does right will see His face.” (Psalm 11:7 Contemporary English)

For the past several days our attention has been fixed upon Psalm 11 – The Song of the Eleventh Hour. This wondrous and musical prophecy ends on a promising note: “Everyone who does right will see His face.”

The Good News Bible tells us that, in a day when evil runs rampant, those who nevertheless do good “shall live in God’s presence.” Certainly this is true in the final sense when we all get to Heaven; but it also has relevance for while we are yet in this world. We can live in God’s Presence now; we can experience the favor and power of His blessing upon our lives, even though things may be crumbling all around us.

The grand old blessing that has been handed down through the ages from priest to priest beginning with Aaron, who received this very blessing directly from the Lord Himself, says, “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26).

Yes, times may be tough, with even harder things yet to come; but this great promise holds true through it all — “Everyone who does right will see His face.”

What this ultimately means is so staggering that we could never have imagined it on our own. But the Bible says it, and we know it is so. Here it is in a single, sublime sentence: “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2)!

Here is what Simon Peter wrote to encourage and strengthen all who go though great challenges in this life. “Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.” (1 Peter 4:12-13 The Message).

Did you know that God is using everything that is happening in our world to mold and shape us into men and women who become more and more like Jesus? And did you know that His face shines upon us in the midst of our darkest days, such that others actually see Jesus in us even when we don’t realize they do? And did you know that one day, sooner or later, we shall stand in His presence and see Him fully for ourselves — and we shall be like Him!

Now that’s what I call “glory just around the corner!”