Heaven Our Home

A friend sent this quote to me this morning, it encouraged me greatly.  I wanted to share it with you.

"Fellow citizens with the saints."

Eph 2:19

What is meant by our being citizens in heaven?  It means that we are under heaven's government.  Christ the king of heaven reigns in our hearts; our daily prayer is, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  The proclamations issued from the throne of glory are freely received by us: the decrees of the Great King we cheerfully obey.  Then as citizens of the New Jerusalem, we share heaven's honours.  The glory which belongs to beautified saints belongs to us, for we are already sons of God, already princes [princesses] of the blood imperial; already we wear the spotless robe of Jesus' righteousness; already we have angels for our servitors, saints for our companions, Christ for our Brother, God for our Father, and a crown of immortality for our reward.  We share the honours of citizenship, for we have come to the general assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven.  As citizens, we have common rights to all the property of heaven.  Ours are its gates of pearl and walls of chrysolite; ours the azure light of the city that needs no candle nor light of the sun; ours the the river of the water of life, and the twelve manner of fruits which grow on the trees planted on the banks thereof; there is nought in heaven that belongeth not to us.  "Things present, or things to come," all are ours.  Also as citizens of heaven we enjoy its delights.  Do they there rejoice over sinners that repent-prodigals that have returned?  So do we.  Do they chant the glories of triumphant grace?  We do the same.  Do they cast their crowns at Jesus' feet? Such honours as we have we cast there too.  Are they charmed with His smile?  It is not less sweet to us who dwell below.  Do they look forward, waiting for His second advent?  We also look and long for His appearing.  If, then, we are thus citizens of heaven, let our walk and actions be consistent with our high dignity.

~Spurgeon~

I was reminded of the time I was preparing to go to Thailand with my family on a missions trip. Their culture is very different from ours and I wanted to learn the do's and don'ts so I wouldn't offend the people.  After all I was going to serve them.   There was a spiritual truth the Lord began to show me as I researched the Thai culture so I would be prepared to walk among the Thai's in peace and harmony.  Everyday when I study the word of God, seek the leading of the Holy Spirit and daily lay my life down as Jesus did I'm conforming to the culture of heaven.  My desire to see my true home was heightened.  The longing in my heart to see my King deepened.

Heaven is a place we will see, are we preparing ourselves for that day as I prepared myself for the day I would visit Thailand?

However, as I read this quote from Spurgeon I'm gently reminded that we presently, as believers, live our lives as citizens of heaven.  Daily we partake of the richness of the culture and the fruit of the land.  I cannot live my life as a citizen of any other country unless I move to that country.  I cannot partake of a foreign culture or of the fruit of the land unless I go there.  I cannot live a life of a Thai person while I'm living here in the United States.  I suppose I could move to a Thai community but, again, to live as a Thai requires me to make a move.  In contrast, believer's have the privilege to daily live our lives as citizen's of heaven without making a physical move.  We don't have to wait until we are in heaven to live as a heavenly person, nor should we wait.   Oh yes, we've made a move, a move only the power of the blood of Jesus Christ could perform, and yet physically we remain occupants of this earth and this tent looking ahead to the glory of a new body and the pure dwelling of heaven.

We don't simply look forward to our life in heaven, as Spurgeon writes, we are partakers of the heavenly life today.  The fruits of heaven: repentance of a sinner, the return of a prodigal, the victory of grace, the sweetness of mercy given, the healing power of forgiveness, the strength of the joy of Christ, peace that surpasses understanding, the glorious presence of our King, His voice in our hearts, the cleansing power of His word, the hope of things to come and the security and confidence of a faithful High Priest, our King, our Father, our friend and the covering of the blood of Christ and His robe of righteousness.

Paul writes in 1 Cor 9:10, "Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.  

our hope...

Col 1:27 To them (His saints) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

If Christ is our hope, this hope is in us and we can be partakers of this hope, partakers of Christ, are you partaking of the richness of Christ, the King of glory?  

The King of heaven dwells within our hearts and He wants to lead us in His ways, to delight within us His culture, the fruit of His land, He has given us comrades in fellowship, support in prayer, He is keeping for us an inheritance never to be spoiled or stolen, He has made peace with us through the blood of Jesus.  Seek Him and live as a citizen of heaven to which you have been called.

United with you in blood and spirit,

CC

The Great Faithfulness of God

Genesis 26:1-12

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the Lord appeared to him and said: "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. And the men of the place asked about his wife And he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, "She is my wife," because he thought, "lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold." Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die on account of her.'" And Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us." So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, "He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death." Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.

The faithfulness of God amazes me.  Isaac didn't turn to the Lord in the famine, he turned to the king of the Philistines.  Interestingly enough this is the first recorded appearance of God to Isaac only proving the Lord is faithful even when we are not.  God made a covenant, a promise to Abraham He intended to fulfill. 

Then Isaac, in fear for his own life, setting aside what the Lord spoke to him, lies and says Rebekah is his sister, and is spotted one day showing his wife affection only displayed between a married couple (Oh how I wish it were so today).  

Abimelech deals with Isaac and so does God. Abimelech scolds Isaac and then charges no one to lay a finger on him or his wife. The Lord blesses Isaac abundantly above all that he could ever think or image and didn't say a word concerning his choices.  God's blessing and covenant were not given to Isaac with any condition.  Please take this to heart and be encouraged.  

There is more.  In this passage, the Lord also reiterates His promise to you and to me. Gen 26:4 ...and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

Gal 3:7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Gal 3:14 ...that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  

You know, as the Lord was speaking to Isaac He was thinking of you and I.  If God's promises/covenants were based upon Abraham or Isaac's faithfulness we'd be sunk.  There would be no hope.  Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.

Deut. 7:9  "Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.  

1 Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  

1 Thess 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Heb 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such thins as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"   

Even Christ said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20

Was this not the same promise given to Isaac?  Gen 26:3 "Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you.  

Great is His faithfulness!

My prayer for you today:

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.