Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 33:18-25.

“18 Of Zebulun he said,

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth,
And, Issachar, in your tents.
19 “They will call peoples to the mountain;
There they will offer righteous sacrifices;
For they will draw out the abundance of the seas,
And the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20 Of Gad he said,

“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;
He lies down as a lion,
And tears the arm, also the crown of the head.
21 “Then he provided the first part for himself,
For there the ruler’s portion was reserved;
And he came with the leaders of the people;
He executed the justice of the Lord,
And His ordinances with Israel.”
22 Of Dan he said,

“Dan is a lion’s whelp,
That leaps forth from Bashan.”

23 Of Naphtali he said,

“O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the Lord,
Take possession of the sea and the south.”

24 Of Asher he said,

“More blessed than sons is Asher;
May he be favored by his brothers,
And may he dip his foot in oil.
25 “Your locks will be iron and bronze,
And according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be.”   Deuteronomy 33:18-25.

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In summary, the foregoing highlighted blessings remind me generally of the blessing of contentment.

“He has told you, O man, what is good;  And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:8.

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.”  1 Timothy 6:6.

God has given us work to do.  Some of it is general. what everyone does, like offering righteous sacrifices (worship) and executing justice in today’s Scripture.  Verses 19 and 21.  Some of it is specific to us, what we were made to do.”

But, even for that specific work, we can do that work with contentment.  We may work hard at times, but in a sense, it is a walk.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”   “And according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be.”  Verse 25.

Some people seem to grind it out whether it be things that we all do:  worship or doing what is right (justice) or work.  They have little contentment.  They have little peace and joy.  There is little attractive about them that draws you to them.

On the other hand, there are blessed people who seem to love what they are doing.  They have a smile on their face and cheer in their hearts.  They laugh easy and give encouragement even easier.  They have difficult times, but they get through them.  They count their blessings.  Verse 23.  We are attracted to them.  We want to be around them.

This contentment is a blessing.  There are some people who were created to be more inclined to be naturally content.  They were made with a sunny disposition.

But, this contentment can also be cultivated through Reformed Doctrine.  When we more deeply believe in a sovereign God Who accomplishes all His good pleasure whether it be in us individually or in saving all His elect or in otherwise controlling every detail of history for His purpose, then we become more content.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”  2 Corinthians 2:14.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 33:13-17.

13 Of Joseph he said,

“Blessed of the Lord be his land,
With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,
And from the deep lying beneath,
14 And with the choice yield of the sun,
And with the choice produce of the months.
15 “And with the best things of the ancient mountains,
And with the choice things of the everlasting hills,
16 And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,
And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.
Let it come to the head of Joseph,
And to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.
17 “As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his,
And his horns are the horns of the wild ox;
With them he will push the peoples,
All at once, to the ends of the earth.
And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”  Deuteronomy 33:13-17.

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Today’s Scripture emphasize the quality and quantity of the blessings that come to those who have the favor of God.

These blessings include “the choice things of heaven” verse 13, “the choice yield of the sun” verse 14, “the choice produce” verse 14, “the best things of the ancient mountains” verse 15, “the choice things of the everlasting hills” verse 15, and “the choice things of the earth and its fullness” verse 16.

In today’s Scripture, the word “choice”, which is repeatedly used, signifies that the LORD Himself has chosen these blessings for His favored ones and that they are the best gifts. 

This should encourage us.  We do not have a stingy father who begrudgingly gives us only what we need.

Rather, we have a Generous Heavenly Father Who is able and willing to lavishly pour the best blessings into our lap until they overflow.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield;  The Lord gives grace and glory;  No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  Psalm 84:11.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:11.

In today’s Scripture, the use of the phrases “the choice things of heaven” verse 13 and “the choice things of the earth and its fullness” verse 6 signify that these choice blessings include spiritual and earthly blessings. 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  ..”  Ephesians 1:7-8.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”    Ephesians 1:3.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ”  Romans 8:32.

“Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!”  Psalm 73:1.

“I, the Lord, am your God,
Who brought you up from the land of Egypt;
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”  Psalm 81:10.

“But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”  Psalm 81:16.

“The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And refined, aged wine.”  Isaiah 25:6.

“Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  Psalm 106:1.

“I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, the praises of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.”  Isaiah 63:7.

This is a republication of an old but still profitable “Letter to Harry” posted at my web site under the tag “Gold Mining”.

Yours truly,
Bill

GOLD MINE 1:  DEUTERONOMY 33:12

THE BELOVED OF THE LORD REST SECURE IN HIM.

July 29, 1992

Harry:

God loves us, and we rest secure in Him!

As you may remember, I am going through the Bible sequentially starting with John and reading a chapter or more a day. I have already moved from John through Revelation and then started in Genesis and now I am at Deuteronomy 33.

I came across an unfamiliar verse that I would like to share with you. It presents a beautiful memorable picture. “About Benjamin he said: `Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.’”  Deuteronomy 33:12b

What wonderful love God has for us!  It is particularly meaningful to me as I hold my two-year old son, Joshua, in my lap with his chest and head resting on my chest between my shoulders. Joshua falls asleep secure, and I love him and protect him with awe and wonder.

Does God love us and protect us any less?!

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 33:4-11.

“4 “Moses charged us with a law,
A possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 “And He was king in Jeshurun,
When the heads of the people were gathered,
The tribes of Israel together.

6 “May Reuben live and not die,
Nor his men be few.”

7 And this regarding Judah;  so he said,

“Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people.
With his hands he contended for them,
And may You be a help against his adversaries.”

8 Of Levi he said,

“Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man,
Whom You proved at Massah,
With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
9 Who said of his father and his mother,
‘I did not consider them’;
And he did not acknowledge his brothers,
Nor did he regard his own sons,
For they observed Your word,
And kept Your covenant.
10 “They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob,
And Your law to Israel.
They shall put incense before You,
And whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 “O Lord, bless his substance,
And accept the work of his hands;
Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him,
And those who hate him, so that they will not rise again.”  Deuteronomy 33:4-11.

———————–

We can see the fulfillment of these three blessings in Christ. 

The tribe of Reuben, like our families today, want to live and have many descendants and to have no end.

“May Reuben live and not die,
Nor his men be few.”  Verse 6.

In Christ, our tribe or family is His kingdom which will have no end. 

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  Luke 1:32-33.

“And they *sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals;  for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”  Revelation 5:9-10.

The tribe of Judah, like our families today, want help against our adversaries.

“And this regarding Judah; so he said,

“Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people.
With his hands he contended for them,
And may You be a help against his adversaries.”  Verse 7.

Christ is the Lion of Judah Who gives us salvation from our enemies.

“and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping;  behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”  Revelation 5:5.

“68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
71 Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”  Luke 1:68-75.

The tribe of Levi, like our families today, want to faithfully observe God’s Law, teach it, and keep His covenant.

“… For they observed Your word,
And kept Your covenant.
“They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob,
And Your law to Israel.  …”  Verses 9-10.

Christ came and live a life of perfect obedience, made an offering for sin, to make us righteous in Christ. 

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  2 Corinthians 5:21.

“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:  sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:3-4.

In summary, “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes;  therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”  2 Corinthians 1:20.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 33:1-3.

“1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 He said,

“The Lord came from Sinai,
And dawned on them from Seir;
He shone forth from Mount Paran,
And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones;
At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.
3 “Indeed, He loves the people;
All Your holy ones are in Your hand,
And they followed in Your steps;
Everyone receives of Your words.”   Deuteronomy 33:1-3.

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Does this sound like God loves everybody or that God loves His people? 

Does this sound like resistible grace or irresistible grace? 

Does this sound like a fall from grace or preservation of the saints? 

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God;  the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 7:6.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God;  you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

“TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation best summarizes Scripture and best shows God’s special love for His people:  limited to His people but unlimited in faithfulness and other fullness to save.

“TULIP” may not be most popular, because it humbles man and exalts God, but it needs to be identified, examined, and proclaimed, because it is the truth.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 32:48-52.

“The Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession.  Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel.  For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.”  Deuteronomy 32:48-52.

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No one, not even Moses, is justified by the Law.  “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident;  for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”  However, the Law is not of faith;  on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  Galatians 3:11-14.

Like the rest who received approval, Moses was justified by faith.  See Hebrews 11:24-29.  “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”  Hebrews 11:39-40.

By not allowing Moses to enter Canaan, the Promised Land, it seems to me that the LORD wanted to illustrate vividly that no one is justified by the Law and that the righteous live by faith, even to their death.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 32:44-47.

“Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he, with Joshua the son of Nun.  When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law.  For it is not an idle word for you;  indeed it is your life.  And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”  Deuteronomy 32:44-47.

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“… Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4.

“It is the Spirit who gives life;  the flesh profits nothing;  the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”  John 6:63.

“Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have words of eternal life.”  John 6:68.

Jesus is the “Incarnate Word”.   

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14.

“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—  and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us;  and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  1 John 1:1-3.

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life;  he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”  1 John 5:11-12.

The words of Scripture point us to “the Word of Life”, Jesus Christ.  And, we do not learn about Jesus through pictures or sculptures or other images (in fact, they are forbidden by the second commandment);  we learn about Jesus through the words of Scripture.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;  it is these that testify about Me;  and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”  John 5:39-40.

And so, we have daily devotions, seeking to learn more about Jesus, “the Word of Life”.

“34 “Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
35 “For he who finds me finds life
And obtains favor from the Lord.”  Proverbs 8:34-35.

“‘Give us this day our daily bread.”  Matthew 6:11.

“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”  Acts 17:11.

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.”  Psalm 1:2.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 32:34-43.

“34 ‘Is it not laid up in store with Me,
Sealed up in My treasuries?
35 ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution,
In due time their foot will slip;
For the day of their calamity is near,
And the impending things are hastening upon them.’
36 “For the Lord will vindicate His people,
And will have compassion on His servants,
When He sees that their strength is gone,
And there is none remaining, bond or free.
37 “And He will say, ‘Where are their gods,
The rock in which they sought refuge?
38 ‘Who ate the fat of their sacrifices,
And drank the wine of their drink offering?
Let them rise up and help you,
Let them be your hiding place!
39 ‘See now that I, I am He,
And there is no god besides Me;
It is I who put to death and give life.
I have wounded and it is I who heal,
And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
40 ‘Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven,
And say, as I live forever,
41 If I sharpen My flashing sword,
And My hand takes hold on justice,
I will render vengeance on My adversaries,
And I will repay those who hate Me.
42 ‘I will make My arrows drunk with blood,
And My sword will devour flesh,
With the blood of the slain and the captives,
From the long-haired leaders of the enemy.’
43 “Rejoice, O nations, with His people;
For He will avenge the blood of His servants,
And will render vengeance on His adversaries,
And will atone for His land and His people.”  Deuteronomy 32:34-43.

——————–

This Scripture shows sovereign power of God.  God exercises both justice (“vengeance on His adversaries” – verse 43) and lovingkindness (“vindicate His people” – verse 36).

“‘See now that I, I am He,
And there is no god besides Me;
It is I who put to death and give life.
I have wounded and it is I who heal,
And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”  Verse 39.

Some doctrine teaches alleged free-will of man.

Reformed Doctrine teaches absolute sovereignty of God.

Some doctrine conspires:  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3.

But, Reformed Doctrine knows:  “He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.”  Psalm 2:4.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 32:28-33.

“28 “For they are a nation lacking in counsel,
And there is no understanding in them.
29 “Would that they were wise, that they understood this,
That they would discern their future!
30 “How could one chase a thousand,
And two put ten thousand to flight,
Unless their Rock had sold them,
And the Lord had given them up?
31 “Indeed their rock is not like our Rock,
Even our enemies themselves judge this.
32 “For their vine is from the vine of Sodom,
And from the fields of Gomorrah;
Their grapes are grapes of poison,
Their clusters, bitter.
33 “Their wine is the venom of serpents,
And the deadly poison of cobras.”   Deuteronomy 32:28-33.

———————–

Today’s Scripture leads us to consider our counsel, our produce, and our Rock.

Is our counsel like Israel’s counsel which is a “nation lacking in counsel, And there is no understanding in them”?  Verse 28.
 
Is our produce like Israel’s produce which are “grapes of poison, Their clusters, bitter.  Their wine is the venom of serpents, And the deadly poison of cobras”?  Verses 32 and 33.
 
Is our Rock like Israel’s rock?  “Indeed their rock is not like our Rock, Even our enemies themselves judge this.”  Verse 31.    

Before we get smug and just simply deny it, maybe our counsel, produce, and Rock are not so easily identifiable.

It is easy for us to be like a chameleon, an animal who easily changes color to match and hide in its environment.  With diversity our primary mantra, our counsel, produce, and rock change to please (or at least not offend) those people that we are around.

The result of these fleeting changes is that at best we do not have any identifiable counsel, produce, and rock.

Many with Reformed background have caved into evangelical or social causes pressures to lose their Reformed salt.  They blend into  the evangelicals:  “All I care about is Christ and bringing in converts.”  Then, they blend and get lost in the latest social cause.

Certainly, we can and should have these concerns and do these things.  But, if we, the Reformed, don’t preach and teach Reformed doctrine, then who is going to do it?  If we switch back and forth so often, what indeed are our counsel, produce, and Rock?

“You are the salt of the earth;  but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”  Matthew 5:13.

We should heed the message of the angel to the church in Laodicea:  “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot;  I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”  Revelation 3:15-16.

In conclusion, we are on the brink of a new year.  It is a good time to examine our counsel, produce, and Rock.  Are we going to be content to be chameleons and tasteless salt in 2015?  Or, are our counsel, produce, and Rock going to be identifiable and consistent with our Reformed faith?

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 32:19-27.

“19 “The Lord saw this, and spurned them
Because of the provocation of His sons and daughters.
20 “Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them,
I will see what their end shall be;
For they are a perverse generation,
Sons in whom is no faithfulness.
21 ‘They have made Me jealous with what is not God;
They have provoked Me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,
22 For a fire is kindled in My anger,
And burns to the lowest part of Sheol,
And consumes the earth with its yield,
And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

23 ‘I will heap misfortunes on them;
I will use My arrows on them.
24 ‘They will be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague
And bitter destruction;
And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them,
With the venom of crawling things of the dust.
25 ‘Outside the sword will bereave,
And inside terror—
Both young man and virgin,
The nursling with the man of gray hair.
26 ‘I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces,
I will remove the memory of them from men,”
27 Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy,
That their adversaries would misjudge,
That they would say, “Our hand is triumphant,
And the Lord has not done all this.”’  Deuteronomy 32:19-27.

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Our hope is not to claim:  “We are not so bad;  we don’t deserve the punishment.” 

Our hope is not to plead:  “Give us a second chance!” 

Rather, our hope is to claim:  “We are sinners!  You are a holy and righteous God Whose work is perfect and Whose ways are always just!  But, we belong to You!  We were purchased for You by the blood of Christ!  We are hidden in Christ!  For Your own sake (the sake of Christ), save us, You Who also executes perfect lovingkindness in addition to perfect justice.” 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-6.

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  Colossians 3:1-3.