Heavenly Citizens

I am constantly amazed with different cultures, different languages and different people around the world. As I have opportunity to meet and talk with people from different countries, I love to hear their accents, and have them tell me about their cultures. It reminds me that God has a huge imagination, that He has created us with different personalities, different likes, different skin colors and different ways of thinking and viewing the things He has given us. What a beautiful world He has given us, to richly enjoy.

But then I think of that other place…my Heavenly abode…the place where I will spend eternity. The writer of the book of Hebrews described that same city as the one that Abraham also longed to see. He wrote, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)  

He Came To Set The Captives Free

"Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness" (Gen 1:26a)

Many have debated over this portion of scripture down through the ages. Obviously, God wasn’t talking about our physical image because He has appeared in many ways to many different people through the ages. To Abraham, He appeared as a man (Gen 18:1-2), to Moses, as a burning bush (Ex 3:4), and a cloud by day and a pillar by night (Ex 13:21). He appeared at Mount Sinai in a cloud of glory, in smoke, thunder and lightening. (Ex 19:6-8) To Paul, He appeared as a bright light (Acts 9:3), and to John, as “One like the Son of Man” (Rev 1:13)

The Path to Victory

I had a horrible thing happen to me today…I sinned. I allowed the enemy of my soul to plant doubt and fear in my heart. Where God had given blessings, Satan planted lies and deception in my heart…and I let him! That’s the sad part…I let him! And right away, sin started taking its toll on my life.

First thing that happened was that I started doubting God’s Word and His promises to me. I started thinking that maybe what God had said was true; maybe it wasn’t so true after all. And I entertained those doubts and fears for a while. In fact, I held on to them all night long. Do you know what happened? First, I skipped my prayer time last night because I was “too tired”. You know what…sin will do that! Scripture tells us that sin separates us from God. It will keep us from going to the very One who can fix our problem. And instead, we go on entertaining those thoughts that Satan has planted in our hearts…his lies…his deception. Then do you know what happened next? I started noticing my attitude toward people I care about was not as loving as it usually is. My attitude started getting cold and uncaring. That’s when I knew I had a big problem!

Learning To Receive From God

I'd like to spend a little time with you today looking at the miracle that is found in the Gospel of John Chapter 5, in verses 1-15. If you will read with me, we can see if these scriptures might hold some insight as to how we too can receive the miracle that we need from the Lord. 

"After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

Finding Favor With God

"And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:6-8)

Such an honor it is to be known as having favor with God, yet all through the Bible, faithful men and women are mentioned as being so honored of the Lord. Of David, it was said, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will." (Acts 13:22) The account of Mary, the mother of Jesus, was this, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." (Luke 1:30), and of the Prophet Samuel, "And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men." (I Samuel 2:26)