50 Days of Wisdom

It's important to understand that the issue of redemption is not about us; the issue is about the Trinitarian love relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in which we have been chosen to participate. Christians are a love gift from the Father to the Son. But the Father isn't done with us. Look at Romans 8:29: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son." This is incredible! The Father determined before time began, in His foreknowledge and predestination, that He would bring together a redeemed humanity. He would save them, sanctify them, glorify them, and bring them to heaven so that forever and ever they could say, "Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb," and praise and serve the Son forever. But there's one more astounding component: they would be made like the Son! Yes, as much as it's possible for redeemed humanity to be like incarnate deity, we will be like Jesus Christ. And we know that because John said in 1 John 3:2, "When we shall see Him, we shall be"—what?—"like Him." That's why the apostle Paul said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward call." And what is the prize of the upward call? When you get called up, what's the prize? Christ's likeness. Christ's likeness is the prize. Paul is saying, "I press toward the goal right now, which is the prize later on." In other words, "if the prize for my life when I'm called up is to be like Christ, then that's the goal right now, too. If that's the purpose for which God redeemed me, to make me into the image of His Son, then that should certainly be my goal right now." Now, there's a kind of a conclusion to this. When the Son has done everything, verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 15 says, "Then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father." In the end, the Lord is going to say, "Okay, I provided salvation, I provided the Spirit for sanctification and I raised them all up to glory, here they are Father, I give them to You." He's going to deliver all of us to the Father! And at that point, the Father is going to give us back to the Son as a love gift and say "they're Yours, and they're going to praise You forever and ever." But there's more! When the Son brings the whole redeemed humanity to glory and the Father gives us all to the Son as a love gift, the Son will then turn around and give us all, including Himself, back to the Father! This is a mind-boggling thing! This is what we're all caught up in, folks. An immense, transcendent, incomprehensible expression of love within the trinity of which we are the gifts exchanged. And that's why I love the church, because the Lord is building it Himself. It's His. And it's enough for me, frankly, to just be a part of it. Small church, big church, medium-sized church, happy church, sad church—it's just enough to be a part of it. I feel like Paul in 2 Corinthians 2, where he says, "God always causes us to triumph in Christ." He's saying, "It's enough to march in the triumph." In other words, "it's enough to be in the parade. It's enough to wear the uniform. Not much else matters because the end is already determined. I'm just privileged to be marching with the troops. Therefore, I rejoice always!" Repent and believe! GTY.org (80-157) – Why I Love the Church

Today's Wisdom

Day: 972

July 16, 2026

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Grace and peace,

My name is Mark Paul from Wauchula, Florida, and like the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:14, "I know that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent." Consequently, my goal is to leave a legacy that will continue to advance the kingdom of God long after I have departed. In other words, bear fruit for eternity. And by simply reading and sharing my free eBooks, you too become contributors to the advancement of His kingdom. Thank you for partaking in this endeavor, and I look forward to greeting you on heaven's shore.

The Truth in Love,

Mark Paul - Servant of God

Now grant, O Lord, that when the souls who read these books cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and be converted so that You may heal them. Amen