Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

II Corinthians 4:17-18, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

This morning, there are many of God's children that are unwilling to look beyond this current state of affairs in which we are living. When a child of God is in this condition, they are unable to see the smallness of this life. There are many of God's children that get cast down when they see the corruption, wickedness, and suffering in this present timely world. These are atrocities to be sure, but they should never take our focus from the long-sought home for which we so diligently seek. This applies to the house of God too. We should never be so occupied with trouble that we neglect to focus on the blessings and praise of His service.

Yesterday, we spoke of things that are done "under the sun." This is the other side of the coin. When focused under the sun, one can only come to the conclusion: vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. When one looks beyond this vale of tears, they see that our afflictions here are but for a moment. Consider how long the world has been in existence, and then consider how many years that we have been in it. The oldest of us will even admit that their span is but a drop of a bucket in the scheme of time. Therefore, our suffering is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.

We live but 70 or 80 years on average according to the Holy Scriptures. (Psalm 90:10) That is nothing in the scheme of time, and it is less than nothing in the scheme of eternity. When one considers an eternity of bliss and joy in the presence of God, our life and its troubles do not seem to even matter. No matter what we suffer, we can be as Stephen, who at his dying hour, saw Jesus and asked Him not to lay a charge against the ones that were stoning him. This is the nature of someone who looks beyond what we see with our natural eyes. This MUST be seen with the eye of faith, or it cannot be seen at all. Of course, to have an eye of faith, God MUST have given it freely during regeneration or the new birth. That is a must to be able to see the things of the kingdom of God or press into them. (John 3:3-5)

So, having now been put in that condition, let us set our affection on things above and not on things of the earth. I am afraid that the time is rapidly approaching when we will no longer have the religious liberty and freedom that we do today. The devil is working overtime to try to rob us of that joy and happiness. Let us pray that that time will never come, but should it come to pass, may we ever be as they were in the days of the early church that they counted themselves worthy that they should suffer these things for Christ. For after all, it will only be for a moment, and we shall see Him by and by.

In Hope,

Bro Philip