365 Days with God - Day 101: Glory of the message

I'm giving myself a challenge. Read the Bible each day for a whole year, following the ESV Study Guide 1-year plan. Each day, I will post whatever God has revealed to me in His Word, and how it is changing me. A friend of mine once said that nothing has changed her life as much as reading the bible each day - and I'm excited for how this will change me. Join me on an adventure into the heart of God - and day by day, we can learn more about who He is and what that means to us!

- Andy Catts

Day 101, March 31, 2014

Readings: Psalm 101, Leviticus 8, Isaiah 6, 2 Corinthians 2:12-17, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters of stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of it's glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. (2 Corinthians 3:7-11)

Have you ever thought about the work of God in you being glorious? When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, having received the ten commandments, his face shone with God's glory, such that the Israelites could not look upon him. And we have something even more amazing! The law that Moses carried was due to pass away, but Christ will never pass away. The law that Moses carried brought death, but Jesus brings life. Jesus brings glory.

The gospel, the good news, is glorious, it is weighty, it is meaningful and significant. It is more than those words convey, but words are all I have. It is not small. it is not light. It is big. It is so big, that it means the difference between life and death for everyone that comes in contact with it. If you know Jesus, you know life. If you don't know Jesus, you face death. The glory of Jesus is the life he brings. The eternity he offers. That is heavy. That is glorious.

But we toss around the news as is it is nothing. As if it doesn't have meaning. As if it isn't life-changing. But the gospel is anything but normal. If you know the love of Jesus, you have the power to change lives. His Spirit, within you, wants to bring life to the lost. He wants to make your face shine with His glory. To show those around you that there is something different about you. Moses shined with glory because he saw the backside of the Living God. We have the Living God within us! What kind of unimaginable glory can we have if we merely let Him shine through us in our words and deeds?

The gospel, this glory, is more important than anything you or I will ever know, do or be. It is the most glorious thing we can aspire to. And we don't have to be smart, talented or born into it. We just have to be willing. Willing to love when it's hard. Willing to do the right thing when it would benefit us to do wrong. Willing to rely on God for our every need. Willing to live a life that strives to emulate Jesus. Do you want the glory of living the gospel?