From J. C. Philpot's Daily Portions
October 3 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even
as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18 When our desires and affections ascend to where the Lord
Jesus Christ now is, when raised out of all the smoke and fog, din and
strife, noise and bustle, cares and anxieties, pursuits and pleasures, sins
and sorrows of this earthly scene, we can in faith and hope, in love and
affection, live above and beyond all things here below, and beholding with
unveiled face the glory of the Lord, "are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord"--this is being made to
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. When the Lord Jesus went up on high he entered into his
glory. As then we behold him in his glory in faith and love, there is the
reflection of his glory, and saints thus favored enter into heaven when
still upon earth, and have the foretaste of the glory which is to be
revealed at the Lord's coming before they are forever clothed with it. There
are indeed comparatively few who are so highly favored, and even they only
at rare intervals, and for short moments; but that does not affect the truth
and certainty of the fact. It is a most blessed truth that if we are members
of the mystical body of Christ, the deficiency of our experience, though it
deprives us of much of the enjoyment, does not deprive us of our interest
in, or union with, our great covenant Head, and of the fruits which spring
out of it.