Greatness of His power toward us who believe:

Ephesians 1:19-21

19     and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

     20     which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

     21     far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

     

Ephesians 2:6-7

6     and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

     7     so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

     

            It is not some little power intended for us. It’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in heavenly places … far above all creation. When He rose from the dead, so did we. When He ascended into Heaven, so did we. What tremendous power God has intended for us to experience not only one day in the future, but also in our lives today.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "It is My power that directs you and takes care of you. It is not some little power, but My glorious power … a power so great that the grave could not hold My Son. This is the power that you have available to transform your life into that of My Son. You need not fear anything from the enemy, because he is powerless against Me and thus against you. You can trust Me to take care of you with the same power that raised My Son from the grave and seated Him at My right hand on high. You can trust My power to take care of all your needs. There is nothing too great for my power to overcome … not problem too big, no disease too strong, no pain too great for My power in your life. Trust in Me to take care of all your problems as you allow Me to have full sway in your life.”

            119. His surpassing great power is directed towards me … the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him in the heavenly places. When the Father raised Jesus, He also raised me with Him and seated me with Him in the heavenly places. 

Others:

            Transformed into the same image; from glory to glory:

2 Corinthians 3:18

18     But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

            When we look in a mirror, what do we see? We see our own reflection; our own image. Here we are looking in the mirror of the Word. The glorious image we see is that of our own as God sees us. It is the image of the Christ that is in us … the hope of glory. That is what we see in the mirror of the Word. We are being changed into that image … from glory to glory. The Holy Spirit is the One who is changing us into the magnificent image of Christ (who according to Hebrews is the radiance of the Father’s glory) through His Word. Just remember that it is a progression. It won’t happen overnight; but it will happen as we let it.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My desire for you is not little. My desire for you is great. I desire that you be like My Son in His glory. You are being changed into His likeness as you walk in My Word and in My Spirit. You cannot fail to become like He is if you trust in My Spirit to guide. He will lead you into all the truth; for He will speak from Me. I will guide you into the perfection that was My Son’s on the earth. He did not fail to please Me in all His ways, and you will not fail to please Me in all your ways as you allow Me to have My way in your life. Trust in Me to do it. I will not fail to make you as He is.”

            118. I am beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord coming from within me. I am being transformed into that glorious image from the Lord, the Spirit.

Every tongue that accuses you, you will condemn:

Isaiah 54:17

17     “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;

And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.

            There are numerous verses in the Old Testament that are applicable as far as our destiny goes. Maybe one day I will write about them. This is one that I came across while reading and thought it was appropriate for this book. This goes along with the other verses about our not having to worry about the enemy attacking us. These are people that the enemy uses against us. They say bad things about us falsely. We need not fear. God is the One who will take care of them. It’s better to leave the revenge to Him. He’s much better at it, and we won’t run the risk of becoming like the ones who condemn us. That is what happens so often when we try to take our own revenge.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, there is nothing to fear from man. There is nothing that he can do to harm you. No matter what man may say against you, you have Me as your advocate. I shall proclaim your innocence unto the hills. I will recompense those that speak against you. There is nothing to fear from man. He will not prevail over you. You are victorious in Me and shall never fail. You are My special one, and I will make sure that you remain victorious in Me. I will not let your words fall to the ground, just like I do not let My words fall to the ground. You shall be vindicated in Me in due season. I will take vengeance upon those that speak against you. Do not try to do it yourself, for you will not succeed. Allow Me to take care of those who attack you. They shall not prevail over you.”

            117. No weapon formed against me will prosper. Every tongue that accuses me in judgment, I will condemn. This is my heritage and God will vindicate me.

Enemy:

            Authority over the power of the enemy:

Luke 10:19-20

19     “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

     20     “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

     

            Jesus gave us authority over all the power of the enemy. How tremendous! The enemy can do nothing to injure us unless we let him. Most Christians are not aware that they have this authority, so they let him run roughshod over them. We must absorb ourselves in the Word. Then we will know what we can and cannot do. The enemy makes us think he can do more harm to us than he is allowed to do. Even the demonic spirits are subject to us. That’s not so we can get all puffed up though. Remember God is the one giving us the authority. Today I was reading about Nebuchadnezzar. He got all puffed up over all his glory instead of giving the glory to God. He spent seven years in the wild like a beast. In Acts, King Herod also got puffed up after giving a speech when the people shouted that it was the voice of a god and not a man. He was struck with worms and died. Rejoice that your names are recorded in Heaven.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, the devil has no authority over you except what you give him. He has no power to control you unless you let him. He and his people cannot do anything to harm you if you will trust in Me and walk in My Word. I will not let any evil thing come upon you to harm you if you will trust in Me. Let Me have My way, and you will see My glory in your life. Nothing can touch you unless you let it. It has no power or authority over you. You are in control of what comes upon you. Do not allow the enemy to have his way in your life. Trust in Me to control your life and what happens to you. I am your King, and I will not allow anyone or anything to harm you if you trust Me.”

            116. Jesus has given me the authority to tread upon all the powers, devices, and spirits of the enemy. No thing of the enemy will injure me. I will rejoice that my name is recorded in Heaven.

Light:

            Light of the world:

Ephesians 5:8

8     for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

     

Matthew 5:14

14     “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

     

            Before we came to the Lord, we were darkness. Even though I was a good person, I was still in darkness. If I had known what I know now, I could have explained the difference to my friend that I called right after getting saved. You remember … the one that thought I already was saved. Of course that doesn’t mean I would have had to courage to do so. We’re now Light in the Lord. When people see us, they should want to come to the Light of the Lord. If we’re walking as children of the Light, they will want to come to that Light. We’ve been set on a hill to shine forth into the world and bring light to it. Let’s walk that way.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, I did not choose you to hide your light under a basket. I chose you to be a light to those around you; so that they could come to know Me and My glory. You are to woo them into My Kingdom. As they see you, they will see what I desire for My children. I will show them through you what I desire for, and what I expect from My children. You will walk with Me in your day-to-day life so that others may desire to come unto Me. Did you not see in others My life? Did you not see in others My desires for My children? You were wooed into My Kingdom by others, and I desire that you woo others into My Kingdom by your way of life. I do not want you to be an object of derision, but one of envy for how I bless My children and how I want them to walk with Me in My light.”

            115. I was formerly darkness, but now I am the light of the world. I will no longer walk in darkness but as a child of the light giving light to those around me who are still in darkness.

Chapter 11

Various

  

            Following are verses that cover other themes that concern our destiny. Every one of these promises is ours. We can count on it. It is established in Heaven, and thus will come to pass here on earth.

  

Wrath:

            Not destined us for wrath:

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

9     For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

     10     who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

     

            The world and those in it have a destiny of their own. Their destiny is the wrath of God. That is not our destiny. Ours is for obtaining salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. As I’ve said earlier, our spirit is just as saved as it ever will be. Our soul and body though have a ways to go. This verse says that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with the Lord. Again there is no fear in death. We’re going to live with our most gracious Savior, whether we die before He comes back or we’re still alive on that Day.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, I have in My heart only love for you, not vengeance. There is nothing to fear from Me. I will not bring My wrath upon you; only My love. There is nothing harmful in My desires for you. You will experience My joy and My peace, but not My wrath. That is reserved for those who reject Me. I have chosen you for peace and prosperity, not evil. I will walk with you in My glory. I will walk with you from day to day as you listen to Me. I will show you the way to go in your everyday life. There is nothing that I would withhold from My children that is good for them. They shall experience My blessings in this life and the one to come.”

            114. I am not destined for wrath but for obtaining salvation through Jesus. I along with the other believers will live together with Him.

As far as the future holds, we can just sit back and relax. God has everything under control. Jesus is coming back again to take us to be with Him forever. It is our destiny. Nothing is ever going to change that. We will be transformed in an instant … no more suffering or limitation. We will be just like Him.

New heavens and a new earth:

2 Peter 3:13

13     But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

     

            Now, God is not going to reconstruct the earth. He is going to do away with the one we know. But don’t be sad. He is going to fashion a brand new one. This old earth has been so corrupted by man, that it will take more than a good bath (as in Noah’s time) to clean it up. God is going to obliterate it by fire. The good news is that He will replace it with one in which righteousness dwells. There will no longer be contamination of any type, whether physical or spiritual.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not think that My Kingdom is like any other kingdom on this earth. It has no limits and no boundaries. There is nothing on earth to compare with it. You are My chosen ones, and you shall know My glory and My power. I will not allow any harmful thing to enter My Kingdom. There will be nothing hurtful or sinful in it. It will be a place of peace and tranquility. There is nothing but righteousness in My Kingdom. It is a glorious place for My people. They shall never hunger or thirst again. They shall walk with Me in white, for I make sure that My people walk in My righteousness. There shall nothing be there is not holy. There shall nothing be there that is not of Me. My Kingdom is glorious, and all those dwelling in it shall experience My glory.”

            113. I am looking for new heavens and a new earth in which I will dwell in righteousness. He has promised, and I know He will never fail me.

No longer death or pain:

1 Corinthians 15:54

54     But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.

     

     

            Here is a further verse saying the same thing. How many do we need to persuade us that God is going to do this? Out of the mouths of two or three witnesses is a thing established. We, the perishable, will put on the imperishable, immortal body. There will no longer be any death. It will be swallowed up in victory. A lot of people live in fear of death. There is nothing to fear. Death is just one step away from eternity.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "There is nothing to fear, My children. There is nothing that can harm you in My glory. You need not fear death nor any thing created. There is nothing that can overshadow My glory. There is nothing that can bring fear again to you. As you walk in My Word and trust Me, you shall know My glory and no fear shall assail you again. I have established for My people that they shall walk in My glory in My Kingdom. They shall never taste of death in My glory; for they shall be as I am. I cannot be harmed by death any longer and neither shall they on that Day.”

            112. This perishable shall put on the imperishable and this mortal shall put on immortality. I will be among those who dwell with God Himself.

He will dwell among us:

Revelation 21:3-4

3     And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

     4     and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

     

Revelation 22:3-5

3     There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;

     4     they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

     5     And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.

     

            Look at all the appalling things that no longer will be: death, mourning, crying, pain, and curse. These things are among the first things. We will no longer be made miserable by any of them. Many of us have mourned our loved ones going on before us; too many of them before their time. We’ve all cried. We’ve all felt pain inside and out. We were all under a curse before we came to Jesus. Those things will no longer harm us. Not only will the negative things be gone, there will be many positive ones to take their places. The throne of the Father and the Son will be in our midst. We will see the face of God. We will walk in the light of the Lord and won’t have need of sun or moon to light our way.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, sorrow no more. I have established My covenant with you in the earth that you may be victorious in life and in death. I have not desired that you suffer in pain and agony. I have desired that you walk in the glorious newness of My life. You shall know no pain in My glory. You shall not suffer nor be afflicted in any way. No evil thing can exist in My presence. I will be with you in My glory and nothing shall ever again harm you. You are precious in My sight, and I will let nothing afflict you ever again. You will walk with Me in white and know My glory. I will take away all pain and sorrow and harm that has come upon you when you meet Me in My glory. I will never again allow any harm to come upon you when you meet Me in My glory.”

            111. I shall behold the face of God, and He will wipe away all my tears. I will no longer cry or experience pain. I shall walk in the light of the Lord and will reign forever and ever.

Results:

            Will raise us up with Jesus:

1 Corinthians 15:22-23

22     For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

     23     But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,

     

2 Corinthians 4:14

14     knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

     

            This supports the previous verse’s statement … we know that we will be raised from the dead just like Jesus. He was the first fruits (which for the people under the Old Covenant belonged to the Lord), but we will one day join Him. Before we made Jesus Lord of our lives, we were dead in Adam. When we were born again (or, from above), we were made alive in Christ. Those of us who are physically dead when He returns (actually the real person never dies) will come to life again physically. He was the first fruits, but He wasn’t the last.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You can have confidence in Me that I will complete what I have started in you. I will not leave you as orphans, but I will come to get you shortly. I will complete what I have started in you. You will be lacking nothing. Your body will be changed in an instant. The glory that is Mine shall be yours. Do not look at things as they are in the natural, but as they are in the spiritual. For you shall soon know My glory when I return to greet you in the clouds.”

            110. I am confident that He who raised the Lord Jesus from the grave, will raise me also and present me to the Father.

All will be changed:

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

51     Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

     52     in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

     53     For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

     

            The New Testament calls death sleeping. Even Jesus said that of Lazarus. When you go to sleep, you anticipate waking up in the morning. When we die, we can anticipate waking up “in the morning”. There are various beliefs along these lines, but we’re not going to look at them. Paul said at one point that he would rather go on to be with the Lord, but to stay would mean gain for others. What is important is that one day, when Jesus returns our (the believers’) bodies will all be changed into His likeness. If we have died, we will be raised up. If we’re still alive, we’ll also rise to meet Him in the sky. This frail tent will put on immortality. Ponce De Leon was searching for the fountain of youth. People today spend thousands of dollars to prolong life. But we shall live forever.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "The people of the world have sorrow and fear of death. It is not so for you. You are to rejoice in death; for that is your time of triumph. Those of you who await My coming and shall see Me coming shall see My glory in your body. What you have now will no longer be your home. The home that I have for you is glorious and will never wear out. It is not a time of regretting what is to come, but for rejoicing in My coming. For I will come in My power and My glory, and you shall join with Me in My glory. You shall see Me as I am, for you shall be just like Me in My glorious body. You are Mine. I have chosen you for this time, and I have not changed My mind. Await the sound of My trumpet. When you hear the sound of My trumpet, then you will become as I am. Look up, My children for the hour grows near. Do not worry about when it comes, only concern yourself about being ready to meet Me.”

            109. When the last trumpet sounds, I will be changed … whether I am awake or asleep in the grave. I will then be raised up with Him imperishable, having put on immortality.

Our citizenship is in heaven:

Philippians 3:20-21

20     For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

     21     who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

            You’ve probably heard the song that says, “This world is not my home. I’m just a passing through.” Well, it’s not our home. The verse tells us that our citizenship is in Heaven. My citizenship is in the United States of America. I have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of an American citizen. We have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a citizen of Heaven. Right now you are reading a book that tells you about some of your rights and privileges as a citizen. Some of your responsibilities are also mentioned. We should desire to meet our responsibilities as a citizen of Heaven. These verses tell us that this frail (by comparison) body will be transformed into conformity with the body of His glory. Hallelujah! It will be a mansion in comparison to the tent we live in now. But don’t think that we can’t receive benefits of our citizenship for our bodies here on earth. We can and should. We can’t do the best possible for God if we’re handicapped by disease or affliction. I know a lot of Christians believe we can glorify God by the way we handle our suffering (and we can). How much more though can we glorify Him by being healed? What non-believer would want to become a Christian if he/she thought that would mean having to suffer affliction to glorify God? People usually cannot get out and around to minister to others when they have afflictions. They also have to put out money that could be spent to further God’s Kingdom.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not think that I have a second-rate body in store for you on that Day. It is a perfect body, just like My Son’s. It is a glorious body and will never wear out. It knows neither disease nor discomfort. It will be yours forever as you walk in Me. I will make sure that it is one that you will be proud of … that you can wear with no regrets or fear of what may happen to it. It is a glorious body, and it will sustain you for all eternity.”

            108. My citizenship is in Heaven from which I eagerly wait for my Savior who will transform my body into conformity with His glorious body by the exertion of that power which He has to subject all things to Himself.

Our Bodies:

            We have a building from God:

2 Corinthians 5:1-4

1     For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

     2     For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,

     3     inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.

     4     For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

     

            Our bodies are about as sturdy as a tent in a tornado. By comparison, we have a house that God made for us that is eternal. The body people see when they look at us isn’t the real us. We’re on the inside looking out. We are a spirit; we have a soul; and we live in a body. Our body is like the spacesuit that astronauts wear. It’s so we can operate in this physical realm. That doesn’t mean that our bodies are unimportant. They are a temple of the Holy Spirit and we should treat them in the best manner possible. That way we can live a long and productive life glorifying our Creator.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, your eyes have not seen nor has your mind conceived what I have in store for you. I have a special treat for you when you come to meet me on that Day. I will provide for you a special treat to replace that body of yours. It is precious and immortal. It will never wear out like the one you have now. It is to be yours forever. I will hasten it to happen on that Day. It will be a glorious Day, and you will forever rejoice in it. I have set it in motion, and it will come to pass at the proper time. Do not regret the time that you have in your body. It is but a momentary flash in the eternity of Mine. You cannot conceive of what it will be like in your new body. It will be perfect, and it requires you to be perfect also.”

            107. I do not have to fear that if this earthly temporal tent, my body, is torn down that there is nothing more. I know for sure that He has made for me a house eternal in the heavens with which I will clothe myself. 

Gather the elect:

Mark 13:27

27     “And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

Matthew 24:31

31     “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

            These verses demonstrate that no matter where we are when Jesus returns, His angels will collect us together to be with Him. This is true whether we’re dead or still alive when He returns. Like most doctrines in the Church there is debate and disagreement as to what this actually means. In this case, there is much dispute as to when this will happen. A very popular view is that this will happen right before the Great Tribulation that is mentioned in the verses prior to these two passages. Thus, the believers, dead or alive, will be “raptured”, receive their glorified bodies, and be taken to Heaven to be with Jesus for the seven years of the Tribulation. Some believe it will occur half-way through. Others believe it will be at the end of the Tribulation. And still others believe it won’t happen until after the Millennium … the thousand year reign on earth by Jesus during which Satan is chained. In the end, we shouldn’t be concerned about when it will happen. We should get our lives in order so that if He comes before the Tribulation, we’ll be ready to meet Him in the air. If it’s during or afterward, we need to be prepared to rely on Him to supply our every need. That’s because it’s going to be rather nasty during it.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "The time is soon coming when my trumpet will sound. It will be a blast heard round the world. No one can escape it. It will be a sound of great joy to you, but a sound of terrifying expectation for those who do not know Me. I have chosen you, and I will come to gather you together on that Day. It will not come as a surprise to you, for I will announce My coming to you My people. I will tell you when I am about to come. I will signal you through those who listen to My Spirit. I will not hide it from you. If you diligently harken unto My Spirit, you will know when I am about to come. I will not hide it from you, but will tell you as the time approaches. Do not hesitate to prepare yourself for Me. Those that wait will lose their desire to please Me. They will turn back from the plow. They will say it is not time and is not worth the loss of freedom. What they don’t understand is that My yoke is actually one of freedom. Accept My guidance in your daily life, and you will come to know My peace. It is one that worries not at the future, but looks eagerly forward to My coming and My Kingdom.”

            106. When Jesus returns He will send forth His angels and gather His elect, which includes me, from wherever we are located in Heaven, on earth, or under the earth.

Chapter 10

 

Second Coming

 

            Jesus is coming again. Many people think it will be soon; but whether it’s in the next few days or the next few decades, He is coming back a second time. What does that mean to us? What is our destiny when He returns? The following verses give us some insight into exactly what our destiny is in regards to His second coming.

Process:

            Raise us up on last day:

John 6:39-40

39     “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

     40     “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:54

54     “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

 

1 Corinthians 6:14

14     Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.

 

            It is not the Father’s will that we not make it to the end. It is His will that Jesus raise us up on the last day. We have believed in the Son, and so we have eternal life and will be raised up on the last day (remember our assumptions). He is not going to leave us stuck in the ground with no hope. It is not the end when we die. The world has no hope when it dies. We have an awe-inspiring hope. Again, hope is not wishful thinking. It is confident anticipation. This resurrection is not something that we have to work for to achieve. It is going to happen when Jesus returns.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have not chosen you to fail. I have chosen you to succeed … to be established in the earth as a great people. I have not chosen you to let you wither on the vine. I have chosen you to be a great success. I will not abandon you like others have abandoned you. I will always be with you no matter what may come against you. You shall dominate the kingdoms of this world as you walk in My Spirit. I will not abandon you to disgrace. I will raise you up. Your faith in Me will not go unrewarded. You will be raised up in My glory. I will not abandon you to the grave, but will raise you up on the last day to My glory.”

             105. I have believed in the Son and so I have eternal life. He will not abandon me to the grave when I die. He will raise me up on the last day.

We need each other. God designed the system so that we would. Otherwise, some would go off into a corner of the world with their own little group and never associate with other believers. When we work together, the whole becomes bigger and better than the sum of its parts. It is our destiny as a group. We can’t become individually what He wants without becoming collectively what He wants and vice versa.

Other:

            Chosen race; Royal Priesthood; Holy nation:

1 Peter 2:9

9     But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

     

            Look at some of the things we are! We’re a chosen race. That doesn’t mean race in the natural. We’re a brand new race … Christian. We’re also a royal priesthood. There was a separation between those related to the king (David), and those who were of the priesthood (Aaron). The two didn’t mix, but we do. We’re also God’s possession. Why are we all this? So that we may proclaim His excellencies. That people can see what God desires in His children. We were all living in darkness. He called us out; but not just out of darkness. That would be great in itself. He called us into something … His marvelous light. He brought us out to bring us in … just like He did for the children of Israel … out of Egypt into the Promised Land.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are My chosen ones. I did not choose you from the world to be nothing. I chose you to be great among the nations. I chose you to show forth My glory in the earth. There is no other people that can compare to you when you walk in My Word. There is nothing that I would not do for you, My people. I have a plan for you in the earth, and you cannot know it apart from Me. I have a plan for you to conquer the world and all that’s in it. It is not a plan for failure, but a plan for success. You shall be a great people and a great nation in the midst of all the nations of the world. You shall become a part of My Kingdom as you walk in My Word and listen to My Spirit as He gives you directions. Then you shall reign as priests in My Kingdom. You shall do great exploits as you work together to bring about My Kingdom throughout the earth.”

            104. I am of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. I will proclaim His excellencies for he has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Unity of the Faith

Unity of the faith:

 Ephesians 4:13

13     until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

             This passage is talking about the apostles, prophets, etc. being given to the Church. What we want to look at though is that there is a promise of us attaining to the unity of the faith. Right now, there isn’t a lot of unity of the faith in the Body of Christ. This indicates that one day there will be … every one of us attaining to it. We’re also promised that we will become mature Christians one day … to the point of being to the measure of the stature belonging to the fullness of Christ. We all have a long way to go; but we’ll get there one day. We can depend on God to do what He said He will do in us.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My desire is for a perfect body; not some scraggily corpse. You are not dead, nor dying. You are alive in Me. You shall come together in Me and shall grow into what I have desired for you. You will no longer argue and fight over My Word. You will come to the point that you agree on My commands. It may not look like it now, but it will happen eventually. You cannot disagree on My Word and become what I have in mind for you. You have to put aside your petty grievances and trust in Me to fulfill all that I have said that I would do through you. You are the apple of My eye, and I have no desire for a fragmented body. It is to be perfect and whole. It cannot be that, as long as you fight over things that are unimportant. Trust in Me to bring you into agreement with My Word. I will not fail, and neither will you. I have said it, and it will come to pass. My Son has proclaimed it, and it will come to pass. You shall be made whole. You shall agree with each other over My Word. You shall mature into the one that I have planned from the beginning. There is no other plan in effect. It will happen in My time and in My way.”

 

            103. I will be of those who attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Jesus to a mature person to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Him.

Unity:

            He is in our midst:

 
Matthew 18:20

20     “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

            Of course God is inside each one of us; so wherever you are, He is. However, this means more than that. He is promising to manifest Himself when two or three of us gather together in His name. It doesn’t have to be a Sunday morning church service. It could be a Friday night prayer meeting. Or, it could even be a husband and wife. In these cases and others, we can be sure He’s there. Since He’s in all believers, He wouldn’t need to tell us that He would be in our midst unless it was more than a statement of the obvious that He is there. He is in our midst to meet our needs … to make Himself known to us and others. He will speak to us to comfort us, to guide us, or to supply anything that we need.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I am with you My children wherever you are. There is no boundary too big or too small for My people. I am with you wherever you go. I will meet with you between the cherubim above the mercy seat. I will talk with you, and I will listen to you as you tell Me of your desires and needs. I will never turn My back on you, but will always be open to hear all that you have need of. Come together in My name and see what glorious things that I have in store for you. There is nothing that I won’t do for My children when they seek My face diligently.”

            102. I will gather together with other believers for when two or three of us gather together in His name, He is in our midst.

Holy Temple:

             Holy temple of the Living God:

 Ephesians 2:21-22

21     in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

     22     in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

 

2 Corinthians 6:16

16     Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

“I will dwell in them and walk among them;

And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

  

            Wow! Is this overwhelming or what? We’re not just members of each other; we’re part of a building … and not just any building … a holy temple in the Lord. The point of this temple is for God to dwell in. As a holy temple in the Lord, we should act like it. If we could visibly see God in our midst, would we think and act the way we do? Hopefully we would not. We need each other to help complete this holy temple. Let’s work together to bring it about quickly so Jesus will return soon.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are all needed My children. You are all special. There is no one who does not have a place in My body. You are all a part of what I have planned. I will make you into a glorious Church; a glorious body. Each one of you has a place in this building of Mine in which My glory resides. You are My special temple. I reside in My temple. There is no one nor any thing that can destroy My temple. It is My holy dwelling place. It is built without hammer or chisel. It is a place where My glory resides. Do not think that I came to build a weak and unfruitful building. I came to build a glorious abode. All of you are needed to complete the work. Trust in Me that it will come to pass. Do not look at the way things appear now. I have plans for you … for good and not ill. You will be glorious as you allow Me to fulfill all that I have planned for you.”

            101. I am being fitted together with the other members of Christ into a holy temple in the Lord … a fit dwelling of God in the Spirit. He will dwell in us and walk among us. We shall commune with God like Adam and Eve in the Garden before the fall.

The Church:

            No spot or wrinkle – holy and blameless:

Ephesians 5:27

27     that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

     

            Does the Church have glory? Does it look spotless without any wrinkle or any such thing? How about holy and blameless? That means that God is still working on her, and us. He’s not finished with the Church or us. He hasn’t given up on her or us either. Together we will be a glorious Church, holy and blameless before Christ returns. What will it take for the Church to become this? How about more time? She’s had almost 2,000 years to get it right. How will more time alone make any difference? Sometimes it takes great pressure for us as individuals to make changes in our lives. Maybe it will take some great pressure for the Church to make the necessary changes to become what this verse foresees.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have chosen My Church to fulfill all that I have spoken about My people. I have chosen her to be great in the earth, and not to fail. I have chosen My people to fulfill all that is written for them. They are to take control of the things of the earth and to not be downtrodden. They are to walk in white with Me and not the sin-stained way of the world. They are more than conquerors over all the wiles of the devil. He will not tear down My Church for she is more powerful through Me than he could ever imagine. She will not fail, for I will not fail. She will prevail in the end. She must take her rightful place in the world. She is to command respect and to not be unfruitful. She is My glory, and I will not be undermined by anyone or anything. She is My glory and the glory of My Son. She will not walk in unrighteousness but in holiness … spotless and unblemished.”

            100. I am a member of the Church which Christ will present to Himself in all her glory. We will have no spot or wrinkle or any such thing. We will be holy and blameless.

Chapter 9

All Together

            God did not destine us to be Lone Rangers. He destined us to become a part of a much bigger whole … to work together for the good of all. We have to become others minded, not us minded. When we do, then we will all come to maturity and His body will be built up into the beautiful temple that He desires.

Body:

            Members of Christ’s body:

1 Corinthians 6:15

15     Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!

     

1 Corinthians 12:27

27     Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

            We are members of Christ’s body. We can’t go it alone … we need other Christians to take up our slack. They also need us. We can’t look down on someone who doesn’t seem to be contributing anything to the body. We don’t know how they are being used by God; only He does. They also can’t look down on us. “But I’m not doing anything”, you may say. Maybe you are, but to you it seems like nothing. Or perhaps God is still training you for something in the future. Be open for however God directs you to become what the rest of the body needs.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are part of My Son’s body. You are special to me. You are all needed to make His body complete. There is no one who is not needed. Everyone has his own special contribution to make. Everyone is important. My people need to take their rightful place in the world. I have a job for each one of you to do. You are to help make My body complete.”

            99. I am a member of Christ’s body. That means that I need the other members of His body and they need me to be complete. I am needed no matter what anyone else says or thinks.

Way you judge, you’ll be judged:

Matthew 7:12

12     “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Mark 4:24

24     And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.

     

Mark 4:25

25     “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

            We’re supposed to care for others the way we want them to care for us. It doesn’t say that when they treat us the way we want, then we are to treat them right. We’re to do it first; even if they never do. Once we have done what we’ve been instructed, then it’s God’s responsibility to take care of the rest. We’re also supposed to be careful what we listen to. When we pay attention to the bad things someone says about another without hearing their side of the story, we are in danger of being judged the same way. Don’t you know that if they’re talking about someone else to you, that they will talk about you to someone else? Or if they don’t, some other person will. We will also be judged on what we do with what God gives to us (it’s not just talking about money). If you try to hoard what He’s given, even if it’s just a little bit, that little bit will eventually be taken away from you.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not look down on your brothers and sisters. You have no right to judge their actions. Only I have that right, and I have given that right to My Son. You do not know all the circumstances in their lives, so you cannot judge properly. I have not given you the right to judge them, and you should avoid it at all costs. I will bring about judgment at the proper time and in the proper manner. It is not for you to choose the time nor the manner of My judgment. Trust in Me. I will do what is necessary at the proper time. It is not for you to decide what the proper judgment is. You do not want them to judge you, do you? So, let them alone. I will take care of them at the proper time.”

            98. I will treat people the way Jesus wants me to; I will not listen to those things that are not pleasing unto Him; I will not judge others; and I will use whatever I have been given to the glory of God.

            We are destined to be held accountable. How would you stack up if God held court today? Would He say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant”, or would He say, “Oops”?

Confidence in the Day of Judgment:

1 John 4:17

17     By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

     

            We will have confidence on that Day. We don’t have to fear. People may judge us harshly from wrong motives, but He judges in love. This verse says that just as He is, so also are we in this world … not just in Heaven.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Those of the world have something to fear on the Day of Judgment, but My children do not. I have nothing but blessings for My children. They will receive showers of blessings on the Day of Judgment, not curses. There is nothing to fear when you walk in My Word. You can stand before Me on that Day without cause to fear. I will bless you and keep you from that judgment when you walk in My Word.”

            97. Love is perfected with me and I will have confidence in the day of judgment. As He is, so also shall I be in this world.

Judgment:

            Must all appear before the judgment seat:

2 Corinthians 5:10

10     For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

            This replicates the statement that we will all be judged for what we’ve done. We shall appear before His judgment seat. If we are to be judged, how much more will those that do not know Him merit being judged? When we set our hearts to follow Him, we have nothing to fear on that Day.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children have nothing to fear from Me when they walk according to My Word. I will bring about their happiness in due season as they trust in Me to do what I say. I will not let anything fall to the ground without giving due justice to those seeking My face. You will have to answer for what you’ve said and done, but not out of vengeance on My part. It is My law. I will not change it for anyone. However, I will forgive and I will forget when you ask Me and trust Me to do it. There is no escaping the consequences of all you’ve said or done. However, when they are erased by the blood of My Son, then there is nothing to fear.”

            96. When I appear before the judgment seat of Christ, I will be recompensed for my deeds in the body all of which will be good in His sight.

What You Say or Do:

            Recompenses everyone:

Matthew 16:27

27     “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.

     

Revelation 22:12

12     “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

            Jesus is the one who will evaluate the deeds we’ve done. That means even though others may not know, He knows. He knows not only the wrong things we’ve said or done that others don’t know about, but also the good ones. We may feel like no one knows nor is grateful for all that we’ve done. He knows, and He will render to you according to what you’ve done when He returns.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, you are blessed because of My Son. He will redeem every situation in which you find yourselves. He will make it to come out gloriously, if you follow My commandments and seek My face. He will bring everything to pass in its proper time. Too many of My children are impatient. They do not wait on Me to complete what is lacking in their lives; but I will bring it about in time. Whatever you have done for me shall be made known and shall be recompensed. You can trust Me that I will bless you for all that you have done for Me. I will not let it fall to the ground unrewarded. But, you must be patient. I do not operate according to your schedule, but according to Mine. I also will not let the deeds done against My Word go unpunished. I will bring that about in its due season. I will let My Son do whatever is necessary to bring about your obedience to all My commands.”

            95. When the Lord comes, He will reward Me according to my deeds, all of which will be acceptable in His sight.

Can’t Hide Things:

            Bring to light the things hidden:

1 Corinthians 4:5

5     Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

            Here we are cautioned not to go on passing judgment before the time. Too many Christians pass judgment on other Christians without even knowing the entire facts. They look down on others whom they think have fallen. It has been said that Christians are the only soldiers who shoot their wounded. If someone has slipped and fallen, we should pray for them and be accessible to help in any way we can. Also, we rarely know all the facts in a circumstance. Only God, who knows not only what was done or said, but also the motives behind those things, is able to judge righteously. How would you like for other believers who think they know everything about you but don’t really know all the facts to judge you? You wouldn’t, would you? So don’t you judge others. Perhaps you have been criticized unsympathetically by others. God wants to minister to you beginning right now to bring about healing. He wants you to know that the circumstance was not His will for your life. He would say to you, “My little one. You are more precious to Me than you can ever conceive. I would never harm you in any way. My only desire for you is to feel My love, even when you slip and fall.”

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not think that the things that you have done in secret have not been seen by Me. I have seen them … both the good and the bad. I will shine My light on those things at the proper time, but not to hurt you … to bring you into the joy of My obedience. Your new man has no desire to disobey Me. He desires only to do My will. I will never do anything to harm you. Trust in Me to take care of you. I know what is best for you. You are My special one, and I have no desire to hurt you. If I choose to reveal the things of the past, it is for your benefit … not to drag you down. As long as you desire to do My will, I will protect you from all harm. However, sometimes it is necessary to reveal the things you wish to hide so that you can make amends and confront your past failures. I will never do it to hurt you in any way.”

            94. When the Lord comes, He will bring to light those things for which I have been falsely accused by those around me and will disclose the motives of my heart. Then I will receive praise from God for I will only do those things that are pleasing unto Him.

Accountability

            Freedom isn’t the only thing that is our destiny. There is an accountability that is our destiny also. God will call us to account for the way we’ve lived our lives … not just what bad things we’ve done, but also what good things we haven’t done. If you know you should do something and don’t, to you it is sin. This is not a fearful thing like it is for the unbelievers. They will be called to account for not accepting Jesus as Lord of their lives. What a terrible destiny they have!