The City - Hebrews 11:9-10

Hebrews 11:9-10 ESV 

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Abraham journeyed through the desert landscape to reach the promised land. We journey through the landscape of the world on our way to a different place, one that is with God. We share the same journey to be with Him. 

We live in these tents of mortal flesh as we walk towards the light until we finally reach that destination. 

We will descend from heaven as the new Jerusalem, the city of light no longer hidden, but shining bright for all the world to see. 

Wandering Off - 2 Timothy 4:1-4

2 Timothy 4:1-4 ESV 

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

It is possible to listen to the truth and yet wander off to other stories which have an appeal to the flesh. Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, the fruit from another tree can be tempting. 

The sound of pleasant and smooth voices can draw us away from the voice of the Spirit. Faith in one’s self has always been the primary danger and deterrent to faith in God. It is easier to coast downward in the nature of man than to maintain the upward call of the Spirit of God. There is no limit in the upward journey, but once one bottoms out in the other direction, there’s no where else to go.

Shall Bear Fruit - Isaiah 11:1-2

Isaiah 11:1-2 ESV 

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

The tree of life is before us in these verses. It took root in the earth of mankind, grew and prepared the way for a branch that would emerge from the radical pruning of Israel, paving the way for the righteous growth of the branch that would bear the fruit of the Lord. Its branches reach into the clouds of heaven. 

The fruit comes from the Spirit of God, whom He has given to us in the body of Christ. The Spirit has descended and rests on each of us. We must walk in the newness of that life that leads to life everlasting. 

I Will Grant To Eat - Revelation 2:7

Revelation 2:7 ESV 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

When did Jesus overcome the world? It was when He died and was raised by the Holy Spirit into heaven. This is where the tree of life is found. If you can read this, you still await your turn to reach out and pick the fruit of the tree of life. 

The one who is led by the Spirit will find the tree of life. We must follow Him to get there. 

Revelation 2:5

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

You have fallen back into the domain of darkness. Come to your senses or you will remain there. 

The Christmas Tree

Israel is the stump of the tree of life that are the living creatures on which the throne of God rests. The Church is grafted in and are the branches of that tree. We will sit beside Him on His throne. 

This is the true Christmas tree. It is decorated with our lights. 

Who Seek Him - Hebrews 11:5-6

Hebrews 11:5-6 ESV 

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith the children of light will be taken up by God and not found, for it is by faith that we please God. He was not found by men because he found God. Believe and have faith and He will also take you for His own. Seek and you shall find. 

A Drink Offering - 2 Timothy 4:6-8

2 Timothy 4:6-8 ESV 

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

We should all strive to be poured out as a drink offering, for we are filled with the inexhaustible flow of the living waters from the Lord. Those waters are perfectly used and of maximum benefit to us as they flow through us unimpeded and into the world. 

We receive the crown of life when we finish the race that Christ has placed before us.  It is the walk of faith through the wilderness. He has made a way and leads us to His Father’s house. He will bring our crowns with Him when He returns on that day. 

Shalom

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus in the world, let us also celebrate the birth of Jesus inside our world. His light has appeared in both places and has overcome the world. 

Shalom 

Come To Rest

When there was no room in the inn, the light of the world would come to rest in a manger among the beasts of the field. The light would remain and draw a people unto Himself, beginning with some shepherds and ending with the Bride of Christ. 

If - 2 Timothy 2:11-13

2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV 

The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

Salvation is only possible with choice. This passage speaks to a fundamental element of choosing Christ. It is not a one time decision, but a life of ongoing decisions. It is not accomplished with a single step, but a walk with the Lord that takes us to a different place. 

Being Free

As bad as it is, slavery in the world does not have the eternal significance and weight of being a slave to the world. We are all slaves until we are not. 

The truth will set you free. 

Some Vessels - 2 Timothy 2:20-21

2 Timothy 2:20-21 ESV 

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

So it would seem that the house of God would have room for dishonorable vessels. This may be expressing the same message as the animals which were carried in Noah’s ark. There were clean and unclean animals aboard which disembarked onto a new earth. 

God’s plan for creation is beyond our understanding. He has revealed enough for us that we might join Him with the fullness of His life. His seed is the word, and it produces a harvest according to its kind. There will be seeds and life according to other kinds. All this comes from the one God and Creator of all things. 

And it will be very good. 

Equal Standing - 2 Peter 1:1-2

2 Peter 1:1-2 ESV 

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Have you ever considered yourself to be in equal standing with the apostles? Maybe you should. Consider that there is one Spirit and the righteousness of Christ is given to all who believe in Him. God is no respecter of persons, meaning we all share in the same glory of Christ Jesus. We all stand before the Lord equal as brothers and sisters. 

We have different functions in the body of Christ, but we all share in the same love and power that unites His body. 

Knowledge Of The Truth - Titus 1:1-3

Titus 1:1-3 ESV 

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

In the Old Testament, God chooses a people to bear His light into the world. In the New Testament, God brings the light into the world Himself. He then chooses a people for His own who are drawn to the light. 

The truth existed before the ages began. Christ is that truth. It is the knowledge of the truth that produces the sons of God. 

The Wind - Matthew 14:22-24

Matthew 14:22-24 ESV 

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.

Matthew 14:30-32

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Your boat is going nowhere, unless you invite Jesus to join you. Then it becomes the ark of your salvation. 

Our Work

There is no good work that will bring salvation. There is no salvation without good works. Our work is to learn the difference. 

Who Endures To The End - Matthew 24:11-13

Matthew 24:11-13 ESV 

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The words of Jesus have proven to be true in the world around us. The progress of mankind that is enlightened by the darkness that results from the absence of the light of Christ continues lurching downward. 

There is a way through the darkness of man and it is the way of the light of Christ Jesus. It is the way to salvation. Stay the course, endure to the end and you will be saved. These are the words of Jesus. 

Let Us Hold True - Philippians 3:12-17

Philippians 3:12-17 ESV 

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

If you are in the body of Christ, you have risen from the dead that walk the earth. If you are in the body of Christ, you still await a resurrected body of your own. That prize is yours if you endure to the end. 

If you think otherwise, may God reveal that to you also. 

Nothing can snatch us from the hand of Christ. We can wander away, but we must be repentant and return, or we might lose the light we have. 

Revelation 2:5

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

The Thing

What we may think or believe is one thing, but the word of God is The Thing. 

May we always strive to understand and live by that word. 

Again - Hebrews 4:6-7

Hebrews 4:6-7 ESV 

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”

Hebrews 4:1-2 

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

To conquer the world as Jesus did, we must keep faith in God to the end through obedience to His word. Our journey through the wilderness is ongoing and personal. We don’t travel behind Him in a group of people, but walk with Him as a companion on the way to His house. The light that leads the way is not in front of us because it is within us. 

He says to each of us, “Come and see.” Some won’t go, some will turn back, and some will persevere to the end. Those who do persevere will see the glory of God. This He promises in the letters to the churches in Revelation. “To the one who conquers...”

The Crucifixion

We can only begin to understand the crucifixion of Christ when we take up our own cross and follow. 

Filled In Him - Colossians 2:9-10

Colossians 2:9-10 ESV 

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

We fill the body of Christ with our flesh and He fills our flesh with His Spirit. In doing so, we become one. 

Put Off And Put On - Ephesians 4:20-24

Ephesians 4:20-24 ESV 

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

To be made in the image of God requires the joint effort, a partnership, between man and God. He has made it possible, provided the way, and leads us on the journey, but we must walk with Him to reach the end. 

Revelation 2:7

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

The Purpose Of His Will - Ephesians 1:3-6

Ephesians 1:3-6 ESV 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

The purpose of God’s will for us is plainly put forth in this passage. His will for mankind is that we would be holy and blameless before Him. 

We were all predestined for this end, but few will choose this destiny. That way is narrow and lightly traveled. This He had in mind before the foundation of the world. Jesus was anointed to provide that way before the foundation of the world.

He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places if we obey His will. 

A Work Of Art

Uniformity is a sign of the knowledge man. Art is made by hand and is one of kind and reflects the spiritual nature of man. 

When God places His hand on you, He creates a unique work of art, combining clay with Spirit into the splendor and glory of all creation. Man is created in the image of the nature of Christ. 

The Deep End - Romans 11:33

Romans 11:33 ESV 

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

What we can know of God is revealed in His word, which is manifest in Jesus Christ and continues to manifest on earth through the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ. 

The Holy Spirit brings the word of truth. 

Jump into the depth of the waters of life that flow from God. You will never reach the bottom or a distant shore. There is no end. 

The Hour Has Come - Romans 13:11-12

Romans 13:11-12 ESV 

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

With each passing day, the day of salvation is another day closer. The hour is late. As children of the light, let us cast off the rags of darkness for the robe of righteousness which is in Jesus Christ. 

In this way we are dressed and ready for the coming day. 

Full Assurance Of Faith - Hebrews 10:19-22

Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The blood of Jesus is the pure water that is able to cleanse us from an evil conscience and redeem our bodies for life in God. 

We overcome death through His broken body and then through the body of Christ and into the Holy of Holies. We can draw near to God with full confidence of faith because it is Jesus Christ who sits on that throne. 

The Difference

In the Old Testament, a sacrifice to God required that something die in the place of man. 

In the New Testament, we become a living sacrifice to God because Jesus died in our place. 

The difference is like the difference of night and day.

The Spirit - Isaiah 11:2

Isaiah 11:2 ESV 

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah 61:1 ESV 

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Mark 1:9-11 ESV 

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Spirit of the Lord upon the Son of Man is the sign He is the Son of God. We see in Mark that the Father gives witnessing ss to the Son. 

The same Spirit gives witness to our spirits that we are sons of God and children of the light. He is the mark and seal that we are His. We are beloved and please Him with our faith. 

What We Love - John 3:19-21

John 3:19-21 ESV 

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

If one loves the darkness, they will not move. 

If one loves the light, they will not go back. 

We are what we love. 

Mercy On All - Romans 11:28-32

Romans 11:28-32 ESV 

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

We have received the gifts and calling of God, even though we were disobedient and lost without God. Israel has been disobedient as well, but they have received the gifts and calling of God. They are irrevocable. We may fall away, but if we repent and turn to Jesus, we will be saved. 

We all have been consigned to disobedience so “He may have mercy on all.”

This thought might cause one to consider the Garden of Eden from a new perspective. 

Fully Convinced - Romans 4:19-21

Romans 4:19-21 ESV 

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

We are no different than Abraham when we place our faith in the Lord. The son being formed within us will come to fruition after we pass from this life. 

We journey on fully convinced that God keeps His promises. His timing is perfect. 

Held Accountable - Romans 3:19-20

Romans 3:19-20 ESV 

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Jews carried the law into the world and the whole world is accountable to God through that law. 

The body of Christ carries the light of the Lord into the world and the whole world is accountable to God through that light. 

Armor Of God - Ephesians 6:10-13

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

The whole armor of God might be summed up as the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of Christ who can command Satan to move out of the way and depart. 

Satan embodies the evil in the heavenly places and slithers in the dust of the earth, consuming mankind with the voracious appetite of death. 

Those who stand with Christ will stand firm in this evil age against those who are opposed to God. It is through the light of God that one can see in this present darkness, the light possessed by the children of light. That light is our protection and sword in this spiritual battle. 

Everyone Is Foreknown - Romans 8:29-30

Romans 8:29-30 ESV 

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Every man and woman is predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son. God had this in mind before the creation. Not everyone will live up to their destiny. Paul says no one has no excuse, “for what can be known about God is plain to them”.

Those who are called are those who answer the majesty of the creation. Those who answer “yes” will be glorified. 

We are predestined for glory, but we can choose a different ending. 

Romans 1:19-20

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Being Transformed - 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 ESV 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

If we have the Spirit, the Lord is with us. We can behold the glory of the Lord because He is within us. Because He is within us, we are being transformed from the glory of man to the glory of God. 

The Spirit transforms a man or woman into the image of God. 

Complete Faith - James 2:17-22

James 2:17-22 ESV

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

Faith in God begins the journey with and to God. Our work of God is believing enough to do as He says. Abraham had faith in God enough to put it into action. 

So the the answer to the question of how much faith is enough is a faith that changes our life. Your desire should be to complete, or perfect your faith. Faith by itself is dead and imparts no life to the dead in spirit. 

That is between you and the Lord. No one else. You and He will talk about that at the end. We should all be talking to Him in the meantime with that in mind. 

 Come to the dance and stay for the feast. You come to the dance by believing in Christ and becoming a Christian. You stay for the feast by becoming a disciple of Christ. 

Especially Prophecy - 1 Corinthians 14:1-4

1 Corinthians 14:1-4 ESV

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophecy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

The spiritual gift of prophecy seems more desirable than speaking in tongues with regard to building and strengthening the church body. Speaking in tongues is similar to prayer, a spirit to Spirit conversation between God and the believer. This is at the core of our relationship with God, whether spoken or silent, and gives consolation and assurance to the children of God. 

Prophecy is the word spoken with a focus and concern for the people around us, that they may increase in the love, knowledge, and assurance that is theirs by the mercy of God. Speaking in tongues is a one on one communion between a person and God. Both reflect the grace of God. 

The Son of Man left behind the perfect communion of the Trinity to speak the word into the ear of mankind. As the body of Christ on earth, we are to be and speak the word that is Jesus Christ. This is the tongue of the kingdom of heaven here on earth. 

Speaking in tongues is a sign of our love for God. Speaking the word is a sign of our love for others.