My Resting Place

Psalms 132:13-14 (ESV)

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his dwelling place:

14 “This is my resting place forever;

here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

Genesis 2:1-2 (ESV)

The Seventh Day, God Rests

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

When the new creation is finished, God will rest in the New Jerusalem forever. This is why the world is so opposed to Israel. 

Works Of The Flesh

Galatians 5:18-21 (ESV)

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The world is a fleshy place. The merchants of flesh use their voice to promote an agenda contrary to the truth of God. They will be with us until sin and death are cast into the lake of fire. They are not part of the kingdom of God, nor will they ever be. 

Not Yet

What we are has not yet been revealed, but in the end we shall be like Him. 

The Lamp

Luke 11:34 (ESV)

Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.

Only Jesus can heal our blindness to the light of heaven. That healing is only a word away. 

After Our Likeness

Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

“God created man in his own image” because He would take man’s image for His own. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the flesh of man and God would become the Son of Man. He was chosen before the foundation of creation and is the reason for creation. 

Transforming Presence

Prayer lifts us up into His transforming presence. 

After My Heart

Acts 13:22 (ESV)

And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

The Lord calls out and seeks a heart after His own. When we answer from the heart, we are found. 

The Will Of God

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The more and deeper we pray to our Father, the more our minds transform into the mind of Christ. We grow less a son of man and more into a son of God. 

Eventually we will see the face of Jesus and we will be like Him. This is the will of God for our lives. 

From Cross To Crown

We are sanctified and transformed by our walk from the cross to our crown in heaven. The Holy Spirit will lead us through His word and part the water of the world that lies in our way. 

Against Me

Luke 11:23 (ESV)

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Those in the body of Christ are in the house of the Lord. They are unified by the Holy Spirit into one house, undivided in the name of the Lord. Those who are not in the house of the Lord walk in another direction. 

Those who do not gather the fruit of the Spirit will fall away from the tree of life. 

We Mature

We mature in Christ as we move from appeasing God to pleasing Him. 

First And Last

Revelation 22:13 (ESV)

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Jesus is the beginning and end of the new creation of man. He begins the new creation of man incarnated in the Son of Man. He rises as the first fruits of the harvest of the sons of God which will be revealed in the fullness of time. 

He is the seed of the word of light that is planted in the earth of mankind. 

In some the seed will take root and grow into the kingdom of heaven. They will become part of the tree of life, bearing fruit in every season and bringing healing to the nations. 

Life And Love

Life and love are indistinguishable in the presence of the Lord. 

Weaned

Psalms 131:2 (ESV)

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.

When we are reborn into the life of our Father, we are weaned off the milk of the world of man and begin taking nourishment from the bread of heaven and drink from the living waters of life. 

We begin to experience the peace that is beyond understanding found in the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Here And Somewhere Else

When we follow Jesus, we walk in heaven, for He is with us. 

Flowing From The Throne

Revelation 22:1 (ESV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

The river water of life is as bright as crystal because He is the light of the world. There is one throne because the Father and Son are one. This is the true and abundant life that is offered to everyone of us.

If we overcome the world, we will sit with Him on His throne, though there is plenty of standing room before the throne. 

Over The Mountains

Song of Songs 2:8 (ESV)

The voice of my beloved!

Behold, he comes,

leaping over the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

The word is the voice of our beloved who is above all the mountains of the earth, the rulers in the world. With His strength we can move any mountain. His strength becomes ours when we take refuge in the mountain of our Lord. 

Psalms 121:1-2 (ESV)

A SONG OF ASCENTS.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

Basking In His Presence

Discipleship leads to a relationship beyond just asking for things, to one of communion, of basking in His presence. 

It is here and how we transform into the image of God. We begin to think like Him and act out of His nature. 

A child learns about life from his parents. How much more so from our Heavenly Father. 

Transferred Us

Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV)

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Where are we relative to heaven? 

The kingdom of heaven has drawn near for us to enter if we like. The kingdom is in the presence of Christ. If we have His Spirit, we are in His presence, for they are one. This is how we are transferred into His kingdom, because He dwells within us. 

The Transforming Walk

The difference in believing in Jesus and being a disciple of Jesus is the disciple is always grasping for His fullness in the heart and in being. It is the transformative walk with Him that leads to His image. 

The End Of The Matter

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (ESV)

13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

God created mankind for Himself. Seeking to please Him through our obedience allows us to know and be with Him. This is the highest expression and fulfillment of man, the end seen from the beginning. 

Those whose names are written in the books of the dead will give an account for every deed of their life. Those whose names are written in the book of life will have their sins washed away and remembered no more. That may explain why there is only one book of life. The way is narrow that leads to life because it is through Christ we find it. 

And Were Satisfied

Luke 9:14-17 (ESV)

14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

God is providing a new “manna” from the hands of the bread of life. Heaven has drawn near and in the flesh of Jesus. Five is the number for grace in Scripture. Two are required to confirm a testimony of witness. Fifty represents the number for grace multiplied by ten, which is a number of perfection. 

The disciples bring the bread to the crowd, giving witness to the grace and gift of God. The crowd is filled and satisfied. There is more than enough left over for the disciples. 

Making Sense

When the world doesn’t make sense, the kingdom of heaven may have drawn near. 

Even What He Thinks

Luke 8:18 (ESV)

Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

If learning and doing takes place upon hearing the word, the seed of the word is taking root in the soil of man. The seed grows and strengthens to maturity and harvest. 

It depends less on thinking than the state of one’s heart. 

Exposes

The light makes reality visible and exposes the darkness of delusion and foolishness of man. 

It Becomes Visible

Ephesians 5:13-14 (ESV)

13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

The more we learn of God, the more we learn about ourselves. 

This is how we become children of light. 

Peace

Division is part of the soul of destruction. Unity is found in the Holy Spirit. Peace between God and man leads to peace between men. 

His Word

John 3:16 (ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

We know the promises of God are real and true because He has given us His word. 

The Light

The light of the world became manifest in the flesh of Christ Jesus whose body continues in the world, bearing the fruit of His Spirit. 

Renewed In Knowledge

Colossians 3:9-10 (ESV)

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Putting on the new self is the act of transforming into the image of God. Repentance is involved because it means changing the mind. A disciple of Christ seeks to be more like Christ, in having the mind of Christ. 

Our renewal in the knowledge of Him requires being in His word, meditating on the word, and listening to His word. These are attributes of seeking and being in His presence. 

Your Reward Is Great

Luke 6:22-23 (ESV)

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

We are a people holy unto the Lord, and therefore apart from the world. We are other because the darkness cannot comprehend the light. Many fear what they do not understand. Many hate what is different. 

We belong to the kingdom of heaven and it is there we will find the reward of life with our Father. 

Prepare Your Way

Luke 7:27-28 (ESV)

27 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

The baptism of John symbolizes our desire to leave the water of those born of women to become the earth suitable to receive the seed of the word of God. The law and prophets reveal our darkness which prepares the way for the light of the world. 

Those who receive that light have entered the kingdom of heaven which is the true promised land. 

Your Reward Is Great

Luke 6:22-23 (ESV)

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

We are a people holy unto the Lord, and therefore apart from the world. We are other because the darkness cannot comprehend the light. Many fear what they do not understand. Many hate what is different. 

We belong to the kingdom of heaven and it is there we will find the reward of life with our Father. 

Kingdom Reality

Prayer is the doorway to the reality of the kingdom of heaven. 

It is the power of the Holy Spirit that opens the door and raises us up into the promised land which is the life of God. 

Pleasure And Meaning

A heart which finds its pleasure and meaning in temporal things will run out of time in the end.

A heart which finds its pleasure and meaning in God will run beyond time to the beginning. 

Referring To One

Galatians 3:16 (ESV)

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

The body of Christ receives the promises. We are one with Him.  

Awakening The Woke

A great awakening is the only cure for those who are “woke.” The light of the world will reveal that which hides in the darkness. 

Our Need

We come to the Lord out of our weakness and need until He becomes our need as He becomes our strength and fills us with His life. 

According To His Purpose

Romans 8:28-29 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 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.

His purpose is to find a people who answer the call, that they are conformed to the image of Jesus, thus becoming sons of God. For those who walk in His way, all things will work together for their good. His purpose is to find many brothers from the watery depths of mankind. 

Bodily

Colossians 2:9 (ESV)

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

This is so for the body of Christ. If you have the Holy Spirit, the one Triune God dwells in your body. They are one. 

That Is Done Under Heaven

Ecclesiastes 1:13-14 (ESV)

13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

We can find meaning in the world, but the meaning of life comes from heaven.  

Full Of The Holy Spirit

Luke 4:1-2 (ESV)

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

Jesus is the first son of man who is filled with the Holy Spirit. The earth is no longer bound by the emptiness of being empty and formless. We who follow Him are led by the Spirit in a wilderness revealed by the light of the life of God to the eyes of our hearts. 

We are no longer chained by sin. Now sin becomes a choice. Now freed from the absolute power of sin, temptation becomes the tool of the devil to bring us back into the kingdom of the world. Temptation is in the world of the believer because he now can choose to obey God. It is in the garden of His presence that we learn obedience to God, which leads to the blessings of heaven. 

True Temple

The son of David would build a magnificent earthly temple for God. Solomon would do so as the greatest king of earth. 

A much younger son of David would raise a living temple for God. Jesus will do so as the King of Kings of heaven and earth. This is the true and everlasting house of God. 

Until I Went

Psalms 73:16-17 (ESV)

16 But when I thought how to understand this,

it seemed to me a wearisome task,

17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;

then I discerned their end.

We have become the sanctuary of God. It is there we enter the Holy of Holies through prayer. His Spirit is our source of truth and wisdom. He is there when we seek Him. 

My Father

My Father can save your life with more abundant life. See me for details. 

Eternity Into Man’s Heart

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV)

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Time is an attribute of the first creation and part of the reality of this world. Part of the beauty and life of creation is the passing of time. Nothing remains the same, yet it has always been this way. 

Man is a unique creature because God has included eternity into his very being. This is why we only find our true rest in His life. Eternity lies outside of creation and that is where our Father is. We are made for Him and eternity. This is our home. He calls for us to come home. 

The Word

Hearing the word of God calls for a word from us. That word is yes. It can open the door to “I AM” where we can join Him in creation. It means being in Christ. 

Striving After The Wind

 Ecclesiastes 2:16-17 (ESV)

16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

The wisdom of the world under the sun has no more meaning in life than the foolishness. The meaning and purpose of life is only found in the breath of life from our Father in heaven. 

This is the wind worth striving for and the only wind we can catch.