“And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.”

Mark 9:1 (KJV)

One of the things that amazed and startled me in the early days of RHFAN is the discovery that everybody did not love the Lord the same. I had assumed that we all understood the same things and that God and His kingdom was all our priority. It was devastating to realize that the  people I thought knew the Lord, did not even understand  the  basic elemental steps of covenant and sacrifice in the service of God. Some of these people were quite vocal in their stubborn ignorance.

Our text reveals a poignant truth. There are some that are present with us who will experience the glory and the powers of the Kingdom of God before they die. We might number in the thousands in our particular group, but it will only be a remnant who will experience this glory.

There are quandaries with our text. We were not told how these people were chosen, in this case Peter, James and John who made up Jesus’ inner circle. No qualifications were stated. It may have been the sovereign grace in manifestation. Though none of this information was given, we can suppose even safely that something about their hearts qualified them for this privileged experience. I have never known a leader to choose stragglers and dissenters as their inner circle of friends and co-laborers.

The question for us is simple. Are we in search of the glory of God? Is there a hunger in your bosom for spiritual things? Is God and His kingdom your priority? If these things are not true, then something is seriously wrong. This will be a case of misplaced priorities.

God has always rewarded those who seek him earnestly. Hebrews 11:6 calls Him a rewarder of the diligent seekers. Jeremiah 29:13 says we will find Him if we seek Him with all our hearts. 2Chronicles 16:9 promises a strong show of power on behalf of them whose hearts are perfect towards the Lord.

Consider the tremendous reward for these three guys. They were able to witness Jesus in the fullness of His glory. They saw Elijah and Moses and witnessed the conference of the ages. None of the other disciples ever received such grace and privilege. Simeon was rewarded in the same vein. He was promised that he too will not see death until he witnessed the arrival of the Messiah. He came by the Spirit into the temple and His life was fulfilled.

Beloved, what are your aspirations for glory? I urge you to determine that at least in some measure, you will experience the glory of God, a taste of heaven on this side of earth before you die. Become a part of the remnant and may the Lord bless you.

I love you.

Apostle Chika