NEW BODY!
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1, NLT)

What a month April has been for me and my family.

Early on, I was able to set foot on perhaps the most beautiful piece of property in the United States, and as a golf course it hosts one of the PGA Tour's most favorite and prestigious events of the year. I am talking about Augusta National, the home of the Masters! You have to see it in person to really appreciate one of God's creations! What you experience at Augusta National is just a little glimpse of what it will feel and look like in Heaven.

About a week after I returned home, however, my father-in-law went home to be with the Lord. It was then that 2 Corinthians 5:1 reminded me that this earthly tent we currently live in will be taken down. It will "die," so that it can be made new by our great God. That means that even Augusta National, as beautiful as it is, will see its flowers wither, its grass turn brown, and its trees die away. In the botanical world, death always precedes new life; the same can be true for us.

God promises us that when we are His, we will get a new eternal body, and we will have a house in Heaven!

So how do we get this new body?

The answer lies in Romans, chapter 9, verse 10: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!"

First, you must believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, that He died to remove the eternal curse of your sin, and that He rose again, forever establishing His power over death. Look at Paul's amazing report to the Corinthians: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This passage goes on to tell us that there were more than 500 eyewitnesses to the raised Jesus. The evidence leads us to belief.

Second, you must tell Him that you that you are aware of your sin, and that you believe He can remove its eternal curse over you. This requires a change, yes, but it will be a change you desire once Christ has worked His forgiveness in you. Look again: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

I want so much to see people give their lives to Christ in this way. The Bible is full of remarkable promises toward those who are surrendered to Him—those who have become "His people." I don't have the space to share all these with you today. But I can assure you that if you will just get started in belief, confession, and His life-saving forgiveness, the wealth of God will be poured out on you in the new life that follows, right through to that day when we dwell in our new bodies with Him.

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Dereck Wong

April 22, 2008

Copyright 2008 Links Players International

The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.