My Father's House

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

This world is not my home, am only passing through. In my Father’s house, Jesus has gone to prepare us a home. Mansions that will blow us away. Many songs have been written about these mansions that Jesus is preparing for us in heaven. They say that, “home is where the heart is”. That the physical structure is not what is important about heaven, yet it was important enough for Jesus to mention that there will be a dwelling place when we get there. We all look forward with anticipation to someday enter our Father’s house. As wonderful as this is, the true joy is knowing that Jesus will be there. He will be what makes heaven home. That is where the heart is, to be with Him and see him face to face. This world will is full of troubles, but Jesus has made it possible for each of us to be trouble free. He invites us through the cross to give our lives to Him, forsake the temporal things of this world. hold loosely to this earthly home, and keep our eye set on our Father’s home.

Temporal vs Eternal

2 Corinth 4:8,9-  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Troubled, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down. Not exactly a wonderful life. We daily face things in our lives that stress us out. The cares of life and the responsibilities we face each day alone can cause our blood pressure to rise. We worry about things we don’t understand and are unable to fix. Then there are those that are set against us for our faith and belief in adhering to the commands of God to live holy and righteous lives. We become discouraged of our inability to do the work that God has called us to do. Cast down and defeated in spirit. The temptation to “Throw in the towel” and quit trying knocks at our door. But, we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. The things that we face here on earth are temporal, they will fade away with time, but the things that really matter are those things we hold true in our heart. those things that are eternal. Our faith in God, the glory of the cross, and eternal life through the cross. For all things that happen are for our sake, that God’s grace will work through us to the glory of God.

Two Edged Sword

Hebrew 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The two edged sword cuts through with precision, such is God’s word that is able to reveal the nature of the heart and the deep need of the soul. Able to search the heart and expose the intend of people’s motives. The sword, the word of God is powerful enough to change the lives of people. With precision, it can discern what the heart’s needs are in order to be what God desires. His word is the person of Jesus. It is Jesus who looks into the heart of man and sees the condition of sinful man. Jesus who reveals His love to man is powerful enough to take a broken heart and make it whole again. He breaks open the heart and then makes it new. Jesus, the Word of God is the sword we need to change lives.

Being Perfect

Leviticus 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.

God’s standard of living is to live holy lives. In the OT this meant that the people of God were to be separate from the nations around them, they were not to worship the gods that other nations worshipped. They had special laws that they needed to follow to maintain a life that was holy unto the Lord. The laws of holy living had more to do with keeping the statues given in the ten commandments and ceremonial rituals given to them for worship and sacrifices for sin. Since the death of Jesus, the ceremonial law of sacrifices is no longer required. Jesus made the supreme sacrifice for sin, paid the ultimate price by shedding His blood on the cross. The command to be holy after the death of Christ, goes beyond the keeping the commandments. The love of God in Christ now written on the tables of our heart. Jesus tells us to; “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” mat.5:48. This perfection supersede the written law and is only made possible by the indwelling presence of Jesus in our lives. With man, living and being holy is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

How Great Is Our God

Job 41:21  His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

it is uncertain when the book of Job was written. It is suggested that it was written somewhere around 500-600 BC, but it also seems that the content itself was pre historic. Such is the mystery of this dragon like character. One that is so formidable that there is no man that can stand against it. In context of the scripture, this creature is no match for man, but not for God. He who is greater than all, can defeat even the most fierce animal that is assume to exist. How great is our God, how great his is name. He who creates all things and controls the cosmos of the heavens knows what we face and the trails we are up against. We may not understand everything than happens and why it happens, but we can put our trust in a God who does. He who laid the foundation of the earth is able to help us overcome the forces of evil and life circumstances that we face from day to day.

Be Still Before God

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

We live busy lives, from the time we get up to the time we lay our head to rest we have things that need to get done. If you are a working person that needs to be at work on a schedule time, your life is centered around the clock. Work and responsibilities keeps our minds focus on the task at hand. Where is there time to be still? Most of us will not find stillness unless we make time for it in our day. For some, it is waking up before the sun rises, for others, it is after the lights are off and we reflect on our day. God is not restricted to meet with us by our schedule. He is omnipresent and can meet with us wherever we are, but there is virtue in putting aside the earthly things of life, and taking time to be still before Him. In the stillness, we worship Him for who He is and what He can do, When we get still before Him and muse on the things of God, He can speak to us in that still small voice. Getting to know God will require us to find time to be still before Him. Let us examine our lives, and find time to be still. 

We Can Do Nothing

John 5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself…

Helpless we are without the help of God. Jesus, the God-man relied on the help of his Father to achieve the work He was sent to do. It was not the will of the God man, but the will of the Father that Jesus sought. How much more, human flesh do we need to trust God to be the one to do the work that needs to be done. We are but His instruments doing His will to build the Kingdom of God. Without Him, our efforts are futile, and worthless. The commission is to go into all the world, but He promise that He would send the Comforter to enable us to carry out His work. We our vessels in the hand of God to do with as He pleased. Makes us, molds us, and uses us for His glory.