All Changed … in the twinkling of an eye

In a bible study today “Confessions and Reflections of Who I AM” on the YouVersion app, I was led by Christ to comment from 1 Cor.15.50-53. And it was after Alex, a dear friend in Christ, shared with me yesterday a video from pastor Steven Furtick: “God, I’m Scared”. [see below].

The two are connected. For my personal experiences of Christ abiding, it has been about taking captive … moment by moment … all thoughts (both good thoughts and negative thoughts) and giving them to Christ abiding within me. Psychology studies tell us recently we have 12,000-60,000 thoughts per day; and 80% of them are negative, and 95% of them are repetitive. [See: “Negative Self-Talk: Don't Let It Overwhelm You”, Psychology Today.]

So, pastor Steven explains in short order in his entertaining video that the “noise” we receive each day from our devices we plug our attention into (i.e., phones, tablets, computers, music playing in box stores, our car radios, TVs at home) contribute to that 80%.

Yet Paul tells us … in each moment we can “choose” to be transformed by Christ abiding in us … in the twinkling of an eye. Try it … take every thought captive … give the burden of each thought to him abiding in you. Try it all day. Twinkling eyes … It works!

50 Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must be clothedf with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” 1 Cor. 15.50-53 (BRB)