Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven. I am from above, not of this world" (Jn.
6:38; 8:23). Likewise, now that we have been born again, our new home is with Christ in the
heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). That's why Paul tells us set to our minds on things above, where Christ
is (Col 3:2).
As long as we remain in this world, we will feel, as Peter characterized us, like aliens and strangers (1 Peter 2:11). Even as Adam and Eve were created for a perfect world in harmony
with God and nature, so are we. The problem: we are part of a new creation, but still live in the old one! Why then are
so many “pilgrims” looking for permanence? Is it possible they have not
yet found their place with Christ—in the heavenlies? Until we
understand what it means to live from above, we will find ourselves yearning for something more: something out of this world.
On Saturday, Altha and I drove down to a little town called
San Juan Batista. People go to this otherwise unremarkable town to tour the California
Mission built in 1797. It was a quiet peaceful time away from the
fast-pace of the Bay Area where such restfulness can be hard to find.
After God created the world, the Bible says, He rested.
But not because He was tired. Because He was finished (Heb. 4:10). Therein
lies an important characteristic of God. He doesn’t stop and rest until His work is done. And God's work in us is not finished yet.
Being human, however, we need to stop and rest along the way.
So like a wise father on a road trip with children in the back seat, crying out, “Are we there yet?” He gives us these much-needed “rest stops.” But as we mature, we learn that no “rest stop” can satisfy us until, and unless, we have first come to know Jesus as our permanent resting place, no matter how long we have been on the road. “Let us be diligent to enter that rest” (Heb. 4:11).
Since 911, America has tried to find its place
in the world, and especially the Mideast. It has become Obama’s chance to establish his place in history, not unlike a
baseball star hoping to win a place in the Hall of Fame. I realize that finding one’s place
in the world is both the hope and bane of human existence. Men and women of
fame and success spend a lot of energy, and their fortunes,
cementing their place among men.
The author of Hebrews speaks, however, of anonymous Hall of Faith-ers who never found a place on earth, going “about in goatskins, destitute (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in
deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground” (He. 11:38). They were homeless. To suggest we follow their example
may seem a bit severe. But didn't Jesus exhibit the same spirit of detachment, “the Son of Man has no place?”
Because we are inclined to attach ourselves to places on earth, God “un-places” us—an often painful uprooting that allows Him to root us in Christ (Col 2:7). Jesus says, “find your place in Me, and My Father
and I will come and make our place in you.” (John 14:23). Is there any other place you'd rather be?
A program called ‘Google analytics’ generates a daily report on the number of people reading my blog postings—by country. Through this report I found I have many Russian readers; and last week, more than in the U.S. Greetings and blessings to my Russian blogging brothers and sisters.
Isn’t it amazing that somewhere in the invisible realm called cyberspace is a robot that knows every site you visit! More extraordinary than that is the unseen heavenly realm—God’s watchful Presence. “The LORD looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men, and no thought can be withheld from Him, for he knows the secrets of the heart.” (Ps. 33:13; 44:21) If you and I were conscious of God’s all-seeing, all-knowing presence, would we be different? Or are we like the Israelites at Mt. Sinai who wanted to keep a safe distance from God!?
King David wrote: “I can never escape from you. I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I go down to the grave, you are there. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you” (Psalm 139:8-12). But David wasn’t afraid of a ‘watching’ God. God’s presence was a satisfying comfort to David: “God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble” (Ps. 46:1).
Have you ever saved a place for your friend(s) in a crowded church service and felt uncomfortable because you knew there was a chance they might not show up, and the seats would be empty? But what if it was a concert your friend(s) had paid for? You would have no reservations about holding their places.
While on earth, Jesus never had a place, once telling an aspiring follower, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). Jesus knew His Father was holding His place in Heaven.
And to His disciples, He promised: “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, and I'm going to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Ever since, all believers have treasured the truth that He has reserved our place in Heaven. It is prepaid and has our name on it (Eph. 1:20; 2:6; Col. 3:1). And without reservation, I can tell you there will be no empty seats in heaven.
I am shocked by the present madness of the world. Government leaders are under God’s judicial blindness. You cannot explain the blindness of so many politicians and leaders. They grope about like the blind leading the blind. It seems like all restraint is being cast aside and a moral madness has hardened multitudes.
Seeing all this madness makes me rejoice all the more that Christ Jesus has quickened those of us who were dead in trespasses and sin. I rejoice that those who once walked according to the course of this world—who were under the spirit of the prince of the power of the air and the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience—who once fulfilled all desires of the flesh and of the mind, even dead in sins—are now raised from the dead, quickened by the Spirit—sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Today, as you grieve over the present madness, give God praise that you have been saved out of it all. God be praised!
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As I [Greg] reflected on David's article today, the Lord brought to my mind the following verse: “He died for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live” (Galatians 1:4).
Whoever said “there are two things in life you can count on: death and taxes,” forgot about another sure thing: trials! This side of Heaven, each of us will go through trials. But there is a purpose to our trials: they are for TESTING our faith. And though tests are a normal part of life, still we are surprised and disturbed when they show up, intrusively and unannounced! And while in the middle of one, we imagine it will last forever, but it will not; there is always an AFTER!
“…no one should be disturbed by these trials; you know quite well that we were destined for them …For it has been granted to us, on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him…so don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you…knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance…you need endurance so that AFTER you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise…of course, we know that no trial is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful, but AFTERWARD there will be a harvest of peace and righteousness for those who have been trained by it… therefore, AFTER you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
(Paraphrased from 1 Thess. 3:3: Phil. 1:29; 1 Peter 4:12; James 1:3; Heb. 12:11; 1 Peter 5:10; Heb. 10:36)
Let us pray for God’s strength to endure until He brings us into our AFTER. (Maybe we really can live happily ever after!!)
While watching Cable news over the weekend, I couldn’t believe my ears. In arguing the merits of the “Cash for Clunkers” program, one commentator asked another “Isn’t it irresponsible for the government to encourage people who have just lost or may lose their job to buy a brand new car?” The other responded “I think it would give someone a better self-image to have a brand new car to drive, especially a nicer car, like a BMW, they might not afford without help from the government ($4500 trade in for a ‘clunker’). “After all,” the commentator said, “You are what you drive.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised; after all, isn’t this how “earthlings” define their self-worth—by what they drive, what they wear, what they do, where they live? Without knowing they were created to bear God’s image, they bear the image of those who are “earthy” (1 Cor. 15:48), and identifying themselves by earthy standards!
I don’t drive a luxury car or live in a ‘status’ home, but such labels don’t affect me. Why? because I am no longer “earthy”—I am “heavenly”—“for the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). Nor will I use such labels to judge my brothers and sisters in Christ, for “I have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them…” (2 Cor. 5:16, NLT).
I don’t drive a clunker: I drive a Focus. But it has nothing to do with my self-image. His image in me—not self-image—is what matters to me…“Just as we have born the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:49). By the way, the car that defines me hasn’t been invented yet!
Last Sunday my friend Kevin asked me to preach at his church in San Jose. The title of my ‘sermon’ was: “You Can’t Live Beyond Your Vision.” Other ways I could have said this are: “Seeing is Believing” or “What You See is What You Get." The point of my message was to question ourselves as to how we limit God in our lives by the way we view Him.But another expression that is often used to encourage people to see things correctly is: “Keep Looking Up” meaning, of course, that we should look to God for answers, for insight, and for encouragement.
But I have a better one: “Keep Looking Down.”
The difference between the two is where one lives. If you “live” down here, on earth, then of course you must keep looking ‘up.’ The problem is that this view can keep you “earthbound.” But if you are living in the heavenlies, you will always be looking down. Only when you truly recognize that you are positioned IN Christ, in the heavenlies, will you be able to see all things from the Lord’s point of view.
“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men” (Psalm 14:2)... [and] God raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:6).Our enthroned Christian position becomes the viewpoint from which we see all of our circumstances as we Keep Looking Down from our place of authority and power in Jesus.What is your point of view?
