Seated with Christ in Heavenly Places

 “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.even”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John the beloved disciple recorded Jesus’s words, “No one has risen into the heavenly realm except the Son of Man Who also exists in heaven.”  Jesus shares a mystery with Nicodemus.  While He was on earth ministering, Jesus was also in heaven in the spirit realm.  Being in the two places at the same time is also the privilege given to every believer.  We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm and living our earthly life to please Him.  This is what it means to be “in Christ”.  He raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory”, Paul writes.  In the realm of the Spirit, heaven and earth is one.  Jesus is telling Nicodemus that only those who are seated in the heavenly realm will understand spiritual truths.  May we understand the depth of what Jesus tells us personally through His Word.  Amen!

God’s Seaon, God’s Time, God’s Purpose

 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Solomon’s wisdom says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”  Paul said when he preached at Athens that “God had made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;” God’s plans and seasons are appointed, for He had appointed for His Son to come in the flesh at the right time.  At God’s right season, the Word was sowed into this planet and the Gospel preached.  At the appointed time God judged Jesus on the Cross and Jesus conquered death through His resurrection and opened the way for mankind to have the opportunity to be born again by the Spirit into a new life in Christ.  Now at His appointed season He has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to all His disciples by the command of God our Saviour this wonderful Gospel.  This is the purpose of God, to restore humanity to His image and likeness which was lost by Adam and bring His family back to Himself through the power of His love.  Thank You Father!

Faith in Christ’s Resurrection Makes Our Body His Temple

 “But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.”

‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John, the beloved disciple wrote, “But they failed to understand that Jesus was speaking of the “temple” of His body. The disciples remembered His prophecy after Jesus rose from the dead, and believed both the Scripture and what Jesus had said.”  Resurrection power would be the sign of Jesus’s supreme authority.  Jesus’s death and resurrection effectively dismantled the need for the temple, for now His powerful Gospel of the Kingdom of God builds us into a holy temple not made with hands.  As Paul said, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”  This symbolic form of speaking was so different from the teachings of the Pharisees, as it is to the understanding of many Christians today.  The God Who was once worshipped by animal sacrifices is now to be worshipped in spirit and truth with every believer as a priest. Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, Who lives in you? You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary. You were God’s expensive purchase, paid for with tears of blood, so by all means, then, use your body to bring glory to God!  God had chosen us to serve our God and formed us into a kingdom of priests who reign on the earth.  Amen!

This Life is Brief in the Light of Eternity

 “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Solomon’s wisdom says, “I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.”  Solomon concluded that pleasure and the good things of life, our comfort zones, comedy and cheering oneself with wine and liquor are all vanity and meaningless.  The God Who has created everything has not made it for vanity or meaninglessness.  He has given Life with a purpose.  When mankind lost that purpose through sin, God sent His Son to redeem mankind so we would get the purpose back.  That is why Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”  What is our purpose then?  As Jesus said, “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Let’s do our purpose which is to be part of God’s Kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven; and doing His on earth as it is in heaven.  Amen!

Crossing Into New Life

 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John the beloved disciple recorded, “The very next day, John saw Jesus coming to him to be baptized, and John cried out, “Look! There He is—God’s Lamb! He takes away the sin of the entire world!” This was the place chosen by God for John to baptise Jesus as thousands of years ago the children of Israel crossed into the promised land when the Jordan River parted and they passed through on dry land.  This is a powerful reminder of crossing into the new life.  As the Lamb of God, Jesus was publicly washed and proven to be without flaw or blemish, ready to become the sacrifice for all the world.  Although He would rise as the Lion of Judah in resurrection power, here He is the meek Lamb, a willing sacrifice for us as He broke sin’s grip from humanity, taking away its guilt and power from those who believe.  We join with those singing with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.  Amen!

The Spirit of Wisdom

 “And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Solomon, the king of Israel wrote, “I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.”  This king was given wisdom and understanding to manage his affairs of this world, it was the natural wisdom and understanding he got.  He was much admired and felicitated by rulers of other nations.  Solomon came to the conclusion that it was all meaningless.  Depending on worldly wisdom was a tragic existence for mankind because it takes one away from God.  That was Solomon’s life for in his old age, his many wives turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, and broke the covenant with God.  But thanks be to God that through the Blood sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, the new covenant came into being and the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers, the Spirit of Wisdom.  This supernatural wisdom now enables all believers to know that friendship with the world is enmity with God.  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  Worldly wisdom is friendship with the world. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  Let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit and walk in wisdom from above.  Amen!

To Know Jesus is to Know the Word Personally

 “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke records, “And beginning with Moses and all the prophets He carefully unveiled to them the revelation of Himself throughout the Scriptures.”  Jesus, risen from the dead, was walking alongside two disciples and they weren’t aware of Who was walking next to them.  The disciples were astounded at what Jesus taught them.  A similar story was of Jesus as a young boy talking with Jewish scholars at the temple and they were astounded as to how a young boy could have such wisdom.  This is because in the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s One and Only Son.  To know Jesus is to know the Word personally.  Let the Word be our inspiration, motivation and action.  Let’s be doers of the Word.  Amen!

Preparing as Christ’s Bride

 “She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; And she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Even her works of righteousness she does for the benefit of her enemies. Bold power and glorious majesty are wrapped around her as she laughs with joy over the latter days. Her teachings are filled with wisdom and kindness as loving instruction pours from her lips.”  Linen is a symbol of righteousness.  Linen was worn by the priests in the tabernacle and temple and the curtains of the tabernacle were linen, signifying God’s righteousness.  This virtuous woman knew to deal with merchants righteously as she clothed herself with strength and honour, speaking wisdom and kindness, the fruits of righteousness.  In the new covenant the gift of righteousness has been given through the Cross when Jesus was judged on our behalf.  Today, the Bride of Christ is making herself ready with fine linen, shining bright and clear, which has been given to her to wear, and the fine linen represents the righteous deeds of His holy believers.  As we prepare ourselves as Christ’s Bride, let our prayer be that our love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that we may approve the things that are excellent, that we may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  Amen!

Forgiveness

 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke records, “While they were nailing Jesus to the Cross, He prayed over and over, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” The soldiers, after they crucified Him, gambled over His clothing.”  Even in extreme distress, Jesus prayed intensely, “forgive them”.  He didn’t pray “forgive me” but continuously prayed “forgive them”.  As the centurion crushed Him to the ground and tied His arms to the crossbeam, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”.  When the spikes tore through each quivering palm, He prayed again, “Father, forgive them”.  When the soldiers parted His garments and gambled for the seamless robe, again Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”.  Only heaven knows how many times that prayer was spoken.  This is our God Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the Author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek”.  Jesus continues to pray for us as we learn to trust Him every day.  Amen!

Only Christ Ascended Up to Heaven

 “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, If thou canst tell?”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Who is it that travels back and forth from the heavenly realm to the earth? Who controls the wind as it blows and holds it in His fists? Who tucks the rain into the cloak of His clouds? Who stretches out the skyline from one vista to the other? What is His name? And what is the name of His Son? Who can tell me?”  Jesus solved this riddle when He said, “No one has risen into the heavenly realm except the Son of Man Who also exists in heaven.”  Only Jesus Christ is the Master of heavenly knowledge and wisdom.    Paul was revealed this mystery, “And He has generously given each one of us supernatural grace, according to the size of the gift of Christ. This is why He says: “He ascends into the heavenly heights taking His many captured ones with Him, and gifts were given to men.” He “ascended” means that He returned to heaven, after He had first descended from the heights of heaven, even to the lower regions, namely, the earth. The same One Who descended is also the One Who ascended above the heights of heaven, in order to begin the restoration and fulfillment of all things.”  The ‘wind’ means ‘ruach’ Who is the Holy Spirit.  May we know the revelation of the Word as the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us.  Amen!

Honour Jesus by Serving Others in His Name

 “But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke records, “But this is not your calling. You will lead by a different model. The greatest one among you will live as one called to serve others without honor. The greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one who has a servant heart.  In Hebrew culture in the days of Jesus, the firstborn of the household had honour, while the youngest accepted the role of menial service to all the others of the house.  In the Kingdom of God, as Paul tells us, Jesus is the Head of the Body, the Church, Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn  from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  Jesus has the place of honour in our hearts where we enthrone Him.  He came to serve and having done that through the Cross, He is the only One Who gets the honour.  Jesus was responding, at that time, to the disciples argument of who of them is the greatest.  His response was unexpected for the disciples and for those Christians today who expect honour to their status!  Jesus’s response is the same today as it was then.  Serve others if you expect to be honoured.  Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own Blood.  Let’s honour the Lord Jesus, by serving others.  Amen!

Be Quick to Forgive

 “An angry man stirreth up strife, And a furious man aboundeth in transgression. A man's pride shall bring him low: But honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “The source of strife is found in an angry heart, for sin surrounds the life of a furious man. Lift yourself up with pride and you will soon be brought low, but a meek and humble spirit will add to your honor.”  Strife is the work of the flesh when we don’t give importance to our relationships and take offence and harbour grudges.  Pride and ego keep us from either seeking forgiveness or forgiving others.  If we want to live honourably, meekness and humility is key to our behaviour pattern.  When we remember that God made Jesus Who knew no sin, to become sin for us so that we in Christ would become the righteousness of God, we are in awe of the humility of Jesus our Lord.  Grace is the power of God to enable us to release the faith of Jesus Christ to overcome our challenges, instead of taking offence or harbouring grudges.  We who believe in the Lord Jesus know that we are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live; yet not we but Christ lives in us and the life we live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God Who loves us and gave Himself for us.  Let’s be quick to forgive, quick not to take offence, and to not harbour grudges in our heart.  Thank You Jesus!

Persevering in Our Passion for Christ

 “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke records, Jesus saying - “And at last, when you see how the Son of Man comes—surrounded with a cloud, with great power and miracles, in the radiance of His splendour, and with great glory and praises—it will make you jump for joy! For the time of your full transformation has arrived.”  Jesus is the Son of God Who became a Man.  It is our privilege to believe even when we can’t see, that the Lord Jesus is always surrounded with the radiance of His splendour, in great glory and praises.  It is our faith as those belonging to Christ, who are redeemed and liberated by the Blood of Jesus, from the shackles of deception, sin and the enemy of our souls to believe in the majesty of our risen Lord.  As we persevere in our passion for the Lord Jesus Christ, we are coming into the total transformation of our body, soul and spirit, when we see Him as He is.  May the God of peace and harmony set us apart, making us completely holy. And may our entire being—spirit, soul, and body—be kept completely flawless in the appearing of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.  Amen!

The Church Releases the Victory of the Cross

 “As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; So is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Ruthless rulers can only be compared to raging lions and roaming bears. Abusive leaders fail to employ wisdom, but leaders who despise corruption will enjoy a long and full life.”  David, before he killed Goliath, went after the lion and the bear and dealt soundly with them!  These beasts represented demonic forces of evil over the land   Daniel also mentions ruthless world leaders as lions and bears.  “Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”  Abusive leaders devour like a hungry lion and unjust leaders will trample like a bear.  But thank God that He has given the Church to release the victory of the Cross, this exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.  Amen!

David’s Son & David’s Lord

 “And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke records, ““Haven’t you read in the Psalms where David himself wrote: The Lord Yahweh said to My Lord, ‘Sit near Me in the place of authority until I subdue all Your enemies under Your feet!’ ” Jesus explained, “If David calls this One ‘my Lord,’ how can He be his son?””  In Hebrew translation, David wrote “Yahweh said to my Adonai” which paraphrased reads “The LORD God said to my protecting Lord Messiah”.  Jesus is quoting from David’s psalm and He was yet to make all God’s enemies become a footstool under His Feet, by dying on the Cross and rising again the third day.  Jesus was challenging the people to know that the Christ is both God and Man, David’s Son and David’s Lord.  Jesus as the Son of Man, made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse mankind.  And by the Power of the Cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were His!  This is the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.  Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God, David’s Son and David’s Lord.  Hallelujah!

The Word of God our Only Opinion

 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭KJV‬

Wisdom from above says, “You can trust a friend who wounds you with his honesty, but your enemy’s pretended flattery comes from insincerity. When your soul is full, you turn down even the sweetest honey. But when your soul is starving, every bitter thing becomes sweet.”  Wounds by a loved one are long lasting, effective and faithful.  Whereas flatterers are hollow, even when they kiss you - you never know where you stand with them and it’s dangerous to take their words and kisses to heart.  When we are full of many things and many opinions, the sweet Word of God, like revelation honey, is spurned.  Instead, we eat and fill our souls with things that can never satisfy.  For our spiritual growth and maturity, we all need to be corrected by the Word of God as it is God speaking to us. Remember, when our human parents disciplined us, we respected them. If that was true, shouldn't we respect and live under the correction of the Father of all spirits even more? Our earthly fathers trained us for a few brief years, doing the best for us that they knew how, but God's correction is always right and for our best good, that we may share His holiness.  Let’s make the Word of God our only opinion and speak it forth to others as well as to ourselves.  Amen!

Be the Temple of God and Reveal Christ in You

 “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “Jesus entered the temple area and forcibly threw out all the merchants from their stalls. He rebuked them, saying, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Father’s house is to be filled with prayer—a house of prayer, not a cave of bandits!’ ”  The Gospel of the Lord Jesus can never be traded for money.  Freely we have received and freely we give.  The only time when Jesus used force was when people mixed the goodness of God with money.  It was prophesied, Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.  “And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”  Our personal relationship with Almighty God can never be misused.  Through the defeat of sin and death, our Lord Jesus has sent His mighty Holy Spirit to make us the temple of God.  As the apostle told, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”  Let’s walk in the consciousness that the Holy Spirit dwells in us to show Jesus to the world around us, let’s reveal Jesus through us.  Amen!

Christ is our Wisdom

 “As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour is not seemly for a fool.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “It is totally out of place to promote and honor a fool, just like it’s out of place to have snow in the summer and rain at harvest time.”  Both snow and rain are good in their proper season but harmful in the wrong season.  So is it harmful for a fool if you affirm him and honour him prematurely.  The Scripture has defined fools as, ‘The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”’  Only the withering soul would say to himself, “There’s no God for me!” Anyone who thinks like that is corrupt and callous; depraved and detestable, they are devoid of what is good. In today’s world such people are honoured, but according to the Word the one who fooled first was the father of lies and since then has been fooling people that there is no God.  Such people have tried to fool others. These people have gone out into the world. They don't agree that Jesus Christ came in a human body. People like this try to trick others. These people are like the great enemy of Christ. Eventually, the devil who fooled all of them will be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. He will be there with the beast and the false prophet, and they will be in pain day and night forever and ever.  Let’s live in the faith that overcomes, which is our victory - the victory that Jesus won for us at the Cross.  Let’s live to honour God in Christ because Christ has become to us the wisdom of God.  Amen! 

How Much More the Blood of Christ

 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.are I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, The religious leader stood apart from the others and prayed, ‘How I thank You, O God, that I’m not wicked like everyone else. They’re cheaters, swindlers, and crooks—like that tax collector over there. God, You know that I never cheat or commit adultery; I fast from food twice a week and I give You a tenth of all I earn.’  The tax collector stood alone in a corner, away from the Holy Place, and covered his face in his hands, feeling that he was unworthy even to look up to God. Beating his breast, he sobbed with brokenness and tears saying, ‘God, please, in Your mercy and because of the blood sacrifice, forgive me, for I am nothing but the most miserable of all sinners!’  The LORD God Almighty hates self righteousness, the pride that makes you feel superior to others - it was the same pride that led to Lucifer’s fall to become satan.  The tax collector’s humility in prayer led to him scourging his breast in genuine repentance, as he said to God, “Look at me as you look at the blood-sprinkled mercy seat.”  Today, how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who  through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  Let’s cast aside self-righteousness and come before God in genuine sorrow, looking at the Blood Sacrifice of the Lamb of God that takes away our sin, and receive grace at heaven’s Mercy Seat.  Amen!

Anointed by the Anointed One

 “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift Is like clouds and wind without rain.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Clouds that carry no water and a wind that brings no refreshing rain — that’s what you’re like when you boast of a gift that you don’t have.”  The symbols of clouds, wind and rain are significant.  Clouds are often a metaphor for the people of God filled with glory. The writer of Hebrews says, “As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds”.  Wind is an emblem of the Holy Spirit bringing new life, as John explains, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  Rain often points to teaching the revelation-truths that refresh and water the seeds of spiritual growth.  That’s how Isaiah tells, ““For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”  God’s anointed people are to be clouds carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit that bring refreshing truths to His people.  When we are empty and false, we are clouds without rain.  As Peter puts it, “These people are dried-up riverbeds, waterless clouds pushed along by stormy winds—the deepest darkness of gloom has been prepared for them.”  Let’s be God’s anointed people instead, those who have the Anointed One dwelling in us, like clouds carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit that bring revelation truths to refresh others.  Amen!

The Kingdom of gos is Within Us

 “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, Jesus was once asked by the Jewish religious leaders, “When will God’s Kingdom come?” Jesus responded, “God’s Kingdom does not come simply by obeying principles or waiting for signs. The Kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s Kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you.” The Pharisees thought that by every Jew perfectly observing the law and keeping people under their leadership, the Kingdom of God will come as Israel will overthrow the Roman conqueror and the Messiah will be in power.  Many Christians feel like that today that by keeping the Ten Commandments perfectly, we are entering into God’s Kingdom.  But what does Jesus say? That the Kingdom of God is within us.  In the New Covenant, the Kingdom of God is the Person of Jesus Christ, within us, by faith.  When people see Jesus in us, and the power of His love, they desire Him.  All self righteousness, our performance works, indeed our self-centredness and self-consciousness disappear, as we are only conscious of Christ within us. And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Let many people hear this Gospel and invite the Lord Jesus Christ to dwell within them and the Kingdom of God increase.  Hallelujah!