June 22, 2006 – OH, THE WONDER AND GLORY OF IT ALL!

When I contemplate the gifts, the miraculous privileges, and spiritual blessings I have received, I can clearly see the perfect love and care that God extends to us. I know Christ our Savior weeps and intercedes continually for us. He does not leave us alone to cope with our sins, personality flaws, and our sinful nature.  Hebrews 7:24  but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  25  Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Romans 8:26  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  27  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.  There is no greater love than this: that Christ would die for us and then live to make intercession for us. We are indeed His beloved!

It is His will that we overcome all of the evil within us, and the corruption, disadvantages, trials, and tests that come our way. Colossians 1:19  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (CHRIST),  20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.  21  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation –  OH, THE WONDER AND GLORY OF IT ALL.

Now in Christ, I am free to soar above my own handicaps and limitations.  Matthew 19:26  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  By faith my “hopes” have become a reality.  I have believed and have seen God’s glory in my life.  Through Christ’s leading and power I have experienced those things I could have only dreamed about. Ephesians 3:20  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.  His plans for us are far more ambitious and eternally worthwhile than what we dream or imagine for ourselves. Let go of your plans for ‘self’ and let God perform through you his will for your life.

This I know, God will take charge of our lives now and forever (if we choose to allow him). He predestined us to conform to His image and to receive the glory that shines through God’s presence and revelations of Himself in us for now and all eternity. Isaiah 6:1  In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.  2  Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  3  And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

We are created to have the same fellowship Adam had with God. We can share in God’s glory on earth as well as in heaven. Through Christ in us all things are possible. He can and will change our lives and give us freely his blessings. Colossians 1:27  To them (TO US) God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. The only hope of glory that will last and fulfill us is “Christ” dwelling within.

All of the worldly success and accumulation of “things” will forever pass away.  Only Christ can give us “eternal life and eternal riches.” God is the master potter and only he can produce a vessel worthy of the master’s use. Through the indwelling Christ alone can we be pleasing to God.  Romans 11:36  For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

From God comes the perfect plan for our life.  To embark on God’s plan, we the “creature” must ask and seek God the  “creator,” until he reveals his will to us. The very fact that we willingly and obediently ask God shows that we want to be a “vessel of honor” to him. Through our faith walk in Jesus Christ we can obtain God’s perfect plan and purpose for our lives.  God’s plans are much larger and more perfect than ours.  Living out our purposes without God’s will and approval means we honor ourselves more than we honor God.  God intended for us to be vessels of honor to him and the glory of his kingdom. How can we know the mind and thoughts of God when we cannot understand even the “why” of our own existence. Romans 1:25  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.  Revelation 4:10  the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:  11  “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

The world is in a morass because it knows nothing of God’s life and love for all mankind. We who are born of God’s love have a responsibility to show the world the love and nature of Christ, and his compassion. We are to take to them the God who is “love.” 1John 4:7  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  8  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Christ has made the complete sacrifice for us and still he loves us and watches over us. He does not want any to perish but that all would come to everlasting life.  He weeps and cries over our pain and suffering. John 3:16   “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  He continues to love and nurture us.

God tells us that we can have no greater love, than to lay down our lives for others.  The world is in need of love while we spend our time basking in God’s love.  Almost every one of our website prophecies has warned us of Christ’s “appearing” to take away his children to ever be with him. Oh the horror of being left behind! Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice.  Are we unwilling to sacrifice our pleasant lives for others?  Can we not pray and watch for one hour and then rise up with love to do Christ’s unfinished work on earth?  There are some things that “only” we are given the opportunity to do. We can fill many needs with prayer. God puts some works under our jurisdiction to handle. There are things that happen on our “watch” and yet we turn away and lose the opportunity. We say we care, but do we care enough to go the extra mile? 1John 3:18  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Oh, the wonder and glory of it all! We are given a perfect salvation through God’s perfect sacrifice. Perfect love, perfect justice, a perfect inheritance are ours through faith. We give to God an imperfect life in exchange for a new life of eternal holiness. It is all ours through the giving of our worthless life to God and receiving the sinless life of Christ within us. We can ask God for perfect wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. “All of this and heaven too”, comes by our faith in God the Father and God the Son. We receive riches and blessings that we can’t earn and don’t deserve, a birthright and a heavenly kingdom to which we are not naturally entitled—all because of our adoption into the family of God. He left us the divine word of God to light our way.  He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. He even gives us the faith to believe. All of these gifts are because of the love of the Father and the Son. Are you willing to trade your birthright for a mess of pottage? Genesis 25:33  But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.  34  Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.