Man Made in Image of God, Not Born of dust, But Born Again in the Spirit, to be United with him In His Eternal Kingdom

The creation of man by Michelangelo

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Galatians 4:19

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My children, I am suffering birth pains for you again until Christ is formed in you.

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Man Made in the Image of God; Being Created in Time, Space and Matter; to be Transformed to Eternal Sonship with Him in His Kingdom. God created man in His image as male and female (Genesis 1:26). He made them of flesh from the earth with life as a living being from His own breath (Genesis 2:7). Man was distinct in creation, being given a mind and flesh differing from that of animals (1 Corinthians 15:39; Daniel 4:16). By his very design, God created us with intrinsic value. Even with this glory, it was weakened by the flesh (Matthew 26:41; Romans 8:3), as we borne the image of the man of dust (1 Corinthians 15:49).  But in God's glorious contemplation of us, He ordained an even greater glory to come; when we should be born again of water and the Spirit (John 3:3, 5). Adam was only an imprint or image of the One to come (Romans 5:14b). And by decree, before the creation of the world, God predestined us to obtain the inheritance of the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:4, 11-12; Hebrews 6:17), so those of us with eyes opened to behold the glory, we will be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and put on the new man ... being created in righteousness and the sacredness of truth (Ephesians 4:23). We are being transformed into the same image (of God) from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18) so that, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:49), in the fullness of time, when we finally put away  all our weakened dust, to obtain new bodies and minds in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Revelation 21:1-4). As we are transformed to be adopted in sonship to God in His eternal Kingdom. God abounds in immeasurable wisdom, grace and love.

For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).
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God's Grace is Revealed Through the Transgression of Man. The glory of the Lord's rich and abounding love is revealed in His foreknowledge of the falling away of man, for although man knew God, he would not honor Him (Romans 1:21), as this foreknowing unveils His divine forbearance of grace and mercy, for He decreed with an oath, before the foundation of the world, that we would be united with Him again, through His beloved Son, Jesus the Christ. Through our transgressions, God demonstrates His love for us by the fact that the Messiah dies for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ is the revelation of God's glory; for despite the foreknowledge of transgression, God decreed with an oath through an eternal and irrevocable love from eternity past, that we would be united with Him. To know God, is to love Him. God does not hate you; but rather. He loves you - deeply! 

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

The Lord Has Steadfast Love. Love is not selfishness, instead one puts the interests of another ahead of oneself. This is the exact essence of God. God allowed man to fall away, even though it grieved Him so deeply that He regretted creating man (Genesis 6:6) but this flowed from an eternal steadfast river of love (Psalm 136:1), not from a deep hatred. Even though God was grieved deeply, He decreed to suffer, for He knew He would restore order through the blood sacrifice of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 17:19-20) to make propitiation (1 John 2:2; Romans 3:25), which was the hope of the promise of the Abrahamic Covenant. He deeply loves you. It is so deep that it existed before the world or time was even created. As we know, He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight, in love (Ephesians 1:4), which makes clear, You are to be a people set apart for me (Exodus 22:31).

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are (1 John 3:1a).

The Lord is Zealous for You. This framework of a steadfast and everlasting love of the Lord towards us, will support the revelation of scripture regarding His name. In Exodus we read, the people were not to worship other gods, for He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5a); and the Lord's name is Jealous - He is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14b). Shedding light upon this word will open our understanding further, for jealous is H7067 qanna meaning jealous, but it is taken from H7065 qana meaning zealous, zeal, provoked to jealousy. So the foundation of God's love for us is righteous zeal, possessing great energy and enthusiasm, such that it provoked Him to anger, thereby making Him jealous, as His holiness does not tolerate competition (The New Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Red Letter Edition, by James Strong, LLD. STD, Thomas Nelson publisher, pg. 248). The Greek translation of the old testament renders the word as G2207 zelotes meaning zealous, enthusiasm, used for one who is deeply committed to something, boiling over with passion. god's love is zealous for us; full of energy and enthusiasm, able to be set ablaze for us. We see a glimmer of that burning light in the holy scripture, when we read, For my anger blazes forth like fire and burns to the depth of the grave. It devours the earth and all its crops and ignites the foundations of the mountains (Deuteronomy 32:22). Out of God's great love for us, is do so energized and strong that His righteous wrath has come forth from it, due to our disobedience, in turning away form Him (2 Chronicles 34:25; Deuteronomy 11:17; Jeremiah 25:15). God's wrath is not due to Him being cold towards us, but must the contrary. And His passion is so much great than even His anger, for we read, You withdrew all your wrath and turned away from your burning anger (Psalm 85:3) for God is a God of forgiveness, as His mercy boasts at His judgment (James 2:13b). Those who don't accept His forgiveness, of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, will remain in His wrath (Hebrews 2;3), but it their choice.

God's Great Passion and Power. The great passion and power of God is witnessed in the resurrection of Christ, for we read, And the immeasurable greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of His great might, that He operated in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:19-20). We see:

1. Power = G1411 dunamis - miraculous power
2. Working = G1753 energeia - energized, strong effectual working
3. Great might = G2904 kratos - dominion, strength, vigor, manifested power
4. Operates = G2479 ischus - force, forcefulness, sustaining power, ability

I have plans to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11).

God's Contemplation of Us. When we read that God has plans for us in Jeremiah, it should actually read, For I devise for you, a device of peace, and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11). Devise is G3049 logizomai - meaning to consider, reckon, reason, conclude, think, suppose, decide; with the root of logic meaning to take into account. And device is G3053 logismos - a reasoning, a thought, conception. And peace is G1515 eirene - peace, quiteness, rest, peace of mind; from eiro meaning to join, to come together as a whole, to join together essential parts as a whole. It implies prosperity, to save, harmonious, relations, order, or abound. So God is abounding in thought towards you, eternally, before He created the world or time. This opens the scripture, How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Where I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand - when I awake, I am still with You. (Psalm 139:17-18). Giving power and courage to the truth, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13), because He has been for you, forever. Strengthening ourselves, being girded in the truth (Ephesians 6:14), we read, And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). Abound is G4052 perisseuo - meaning to abound, to be over and above, to overflow, to be in excess, to be superfluous, to cause to excel, to increase, to be more abundant, to be better, to be over the measure. To bring this all together, God has planned to give you peace, making you whole, so you lack nothing, as you abound in excess of all you need. God is glorious, worthy of all our praise and honor. Our lips should forever praise the glory of His name. 

Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind. With a renewed understanding, we can increase in love for our great God, just as God commands. We are blessed to have God say, Be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what god's will is - what is proper, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2). His words are more precious to us, then gold or silver. Peace quickens within our hearts as we drink in the knowledge that the Lord Jesus is eternally planning good things for us, with His steadfast loving kindness.

God sent me (Jesus) ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way (Genesis 45:7).

Jesus is the Firstborn of the United Creation. Jesus, was decreed to be the firstborn of all creation, so that we could be so united with them (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) in the interim, while on earth (John 17:6; Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15, 18; Psalm 90:2; Revelation 17:8), but for eternity in the Kingdom. As a full reassurance of hope, God gave His Spirit as a guarantee, to dwell within our hearts, while we are weakly dwelling within our flesh here on earth; so that we may know that we are children of God (1 John 3:1). Having the full inheritance as heirs of God, gaining access to our Father's Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, forever (2 Corinthians 5:4-6; Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 6:16-18; James 2:5). God is glorious, and worthy of all praise, forevermore! AMEN

God Didn't Want You to Only Know Him, Here on Earth, Instead He Wanted You In the Eternal Heaven with Him. Should we need another drop of divine forbearance, of God's great love for us, let us read in Ephesians, Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we can ask or image, according to His great power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20), God has always planned to prosper us; but not with a guarantee of material prosperity or ease of life in this word; but rather with a guarantee of success in the miraculous working of His dynamic power, filled with love, to make us one with Himself, in His Kingdom, forever. God didn't want you to just 'know' of Him; He decreed before ever creating anything that you would be one with Him, in His Kingdom. For we hear the sweet words in Jesus' prayer for us before He departed, after fulfilling the Father's will, when He prayed, Holy Father, guard them in your Name, the ones You gave me, so that they may be one, as we are One (John 17:11b). The Lord has always loved us with an everlasting love and forbearance, which was so deep and effective that it guarantees that we, His creation, will be eternally one with Him. To this we can rejoice with Yes and Amen!

I have given them the glory that you gave Me, so that they may be one, just as we are one (John 17:22).

Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly come before You, as all honor, glory and majesty is due You; for You have loved us with an everlasting, enduring and faithful love, even while knowing all of our disobedience and transgressions, but You counted us worthy of even the death of Your beloved Son upon a cross to purchase us back to You; oh Father, how can we even begin to understand, please Father, let us know You, expand our minds and fill our hearts with wisdom and knowledge of knowing You, for You are our only true delight; let us desire You more than the air we breath, for You are our portion; Father, love us with that rich and glorious love so that we can infinitely feel and know of Your Might, in the glorious name of Lord Jesus, the Christ, we pray. AMEN