An Eternal House

The Bible refers to an ‘eternal house’ in heaven in 2 Corinthians. This is our topic for meditation today.

Our future body will be “an eternal house in heaven.” Tents are bodies for dwelling in on this earth. Our new, heavenly body will be a “house in heaven” for dwelling in in our eternal home. Our next body is “not built by human hands.” That means that the heavenly body will be spiritual and glorified, not physical and mortal.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, the excellency of the power being from God and not from ourselves. (2 Cor 4:6-7 MEV)

The treasure referred to above is “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We carry this precious, beautiful and eternal treasure in our earthly bodies, therefore we must strongly guard what has been entrusted to us.

This involves protecting and sheltering our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ jealously. We must outwit and halt every attack from the enemy against our faith in Jesus Christ.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Cor 5:1 NIV, emphasis added)

This is an assurance to all believers that even though our human bodies will eventually pass away, our spirit and soul united in a spiritual body will move into the presence of God and remain with Him throughout eternity.

My dear friends, we are now God’s children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. (1 Joh 3:2 GNT)

It is encouraging and comforting to know that we shall be like our Savior, our Redeemer, because we’ll be able to see Him in all of His glory and magnificence. Praise God!

Receive and Accept One Another

Do you realize that the Lord Jesus has made every believer ‘accepted in the Beloved’? That means that you and I are:

Acknowledged,
Recognized and known,
Received,
Established, and
Understood—in Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer.

Let’s see what else the Bible has to say on this subject.

Those who receive you are also receiving me, and those who receive Me are receiving the one who sent Me. (Mt 10:40 CEB)

Whoever received and welcomes a believer, receives and welcomes the Lord Jesus as well as God the Father, who sent Jesus to earth.

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. (Joh 13:34 AMP)

Jesus has commanded all believers to ‘love one another.’ This is not a suggestion. It is very clear that believers should accept one another, and try to help and bless one another. We should never put any type of stumbling block in front of a brother or sister in Christ.

Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. (Rom 15:7 NKJV)

Just as our Lord and Savior has received and established each one of us, we should also do the same with one another in order to bring glory to God.

. . . having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Eph 1:5-6 NKJV, emphasis added)

It was the Lord’s good pleasure to make each one of us ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED, who is Jesus Christ our Savior. Hallelujah!

Now, turn with open arms and be a welcoming committee to others!

The Crown of Life

Believers in Jesus Christ receive the crown of life. Let’s remember that before Jesus came, God had made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Jesus came so that the Gentiles might also be saved, and that atonement might be made for the sins of all of mankind. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and he was the perfect sacrifice for all of mankind. (see John 1:29, 36)

Believers are not promised an easy life in the Bible. We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:12 that those who desire to live godly in Jesus will suffer persecution. We must stop and realize that the enemy would not be attacking Christians so desperately if we did not possess something of great value.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (Jas 1:12 NIV, emphasis added)

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rev 2:10 NCV, emphasis added)

Trials of various types test a Christian’s faith, develop endurance in their lives, and help develop spiritual maturity in them. We can all read in 1 Peter how Jesus responded to persecution:

Although he was abused, he never tried to get even. And when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he had faith in God, who judges fairly. (1 Pet 2:23 CEV)

The Lord will give every believer the sustaining grace that they need to go through such trials victoriously. We just need to hold onto our faith in God and in His ability to uphold and sustain us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally through persecution.

Let’s consider how we can stand firm in our resolve to continue speaking the Word of Life boldly, even under the threat of persecution.

Before persecution begins, we must prepare for it by cultivating the Word of God in our hearts. This means that we memorize various passages from the Bible and review them regularly to make sure we retain them.

Scripture teaches that we carry the Word of God in two places: in our mouths, and in our hearts (see Romans 10:8, and Deuteronomy 30:14). Remember this vital truth: Whenever persecution attempts to silence the Word that is in our mouths, it is the Word that is in our hearts which will sustain us.

We carry the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God in our mouths and in our hearts, and we cannot begin to fathom the fruit that will come from that Seed. Hold fast to the Seed that has been sown in your hearts, brothers and sisters! It will uphold and sustain you, along with the very real presence of the Prince of Peace who never leaves us. Glory to God!

Don’t Sin Against the Holy Spirit

As believers in Jesus, we should be careful at all times with our words. We want to be especially vigilant that we do not speak any words that could be misconstrued as criticizing the Holy Spirit of God. Let’s see what the Bible says about this:

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Mt 12:32 NIV, underscoring added)

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven, but is guilty of eternal sin. (Mk 3:29 ISV, underscoring added)

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Lk 12:10 MEV)

One commentator says this:

“Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is willful, wide-eyed slandering of the work of the Spirit, attributing to the devil what was undeniably divine. These people had seen as clearly as anyone could see and understood as lucidly as anyone could understand that Jesus performed his miracles by the power of the Spirit.”

That is a clear explanation of what the Bible is referring to when it describes blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. No one who is a follower of Jesus Christ and a servant of the Most high God would ever want to transgress against the Lord in this way.

Sometimes, it’s just good to remind ourselves of some of these basic ideas so that we can renew our vigilance in these areas. God bless you.

Pursue the Spirit of Wisdom

In this day and age, it’s more important than ever to pursue the Spirit of Wisdom.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the most glorious Father, would give you a wise spirit, along with revelation that comes through knowing the Messiah fully. (Eph 1:17 ISV)

Wisdom accomplishes many things in the life of a believer. Among its many blessings is revelation insight which is a result and a fruit of knowing the Savior entirely and fully. This is talking about an experiential knowledge of the Lord.

But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. ¹⁸When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice. (Jas 3:17-18 CEV)

Familiarity with the Spirit of Wisdom leads us to acquire these precious character strengths named in James 3:17-18. We who serve the Prince of Peace plant seeds of peace—which in turn harvest JUSTICE! Praise the Lord!

Justice means integrity, righteousness, and honesty.

. . . for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Pet 1:3 NASB)

Through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (Jesus), we receive the blessings of EVERYTHING that we need for a safe and good life as well as for our spiritual blessing (godliness).

Study the Bible and read through the book of Proverbs regularly. Reading one Proverb per day will take you through the book of Proverbs every month. Add to that study, reading other Bible verses pertaining to wisdom throughout the Bible. This is how you may pursue the Spirit of Wisdom.

Add to that your prayers asking the Lord to teach you spiritual wisdom, and He will hear and answer your prayers. Glory to God!

Tender & Humble, Contrite Hearts

Our God and Father cares about all of His people, but He especially watches over and saves people with:

tender [loving, gentle, compassionate];
humble [meek, unassuming]; and
contrite [remorseful, repentant] hearts.

Let’s examine some Bible passages on this topic.

“But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard—because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord. Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king. (2 Kgs 22:18-20 NKJV)

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise. (Ps. 51:17 NKJV)

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isa 57:15 NKJV)

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. (Ps 34:18 NKJV)

God will delay a plan that He has set in place in response to a tender and humble heart. He looks with compassion upon people who are gentle and have repentance in their hearts.

He wants to save and renew all those with remorseful and penitent hearts.

God desires to restore and renew all who have a broken heart, so if this describes your situation, turn to the Lord now. He will prove Himself to be loving, merciful, and forgiving. Hallelujah!

Do Not Love This World

The Bible gives us some helpful information about the world that we live in, and we do well to pay attention to it.

No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. (Mt 6:24 ISV)

The wisdom of the Scriptures is apparent here in reminding us that no one can serve two masters. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, then we serve only Him. To try to do otherwise is folly.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. (1 Joh 2:15 NIV)

We’re advised that we should not love the world or anything in the world. This is not speaking about people, but about material things and the world’s way of valuing what is important.

The most important thing in life is to serve the Lord and to maintain a vital and living relationship with the Lord Jesus.

. . . for whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. (1 Joh 5:4 MEV)

We’re reminded that we who have accepted Christ as our Savior are born of God, and we are overcomers! Glory to God! What do we overcome? The world and its systems and its empty values.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Joh 16:33 NIV) Jesus is speaking to us in this verse above in John 16. He says that in this world we’ll have trouble. But He reminds us that He has overcome the world. It is Jesus’ victory that makes His followers overcomers. Rejoice in this truth today.

BE STILL

Still can mean calm, quiet, unmoving, or at rest. There are passages in the Bible that instruct us to ‘be still’ or to ‘be silent.’

This instruction may have several purposes: 1) to require our silence, so that we will focus upon God, alone; 2) to instruct us to be tranquil and at peace; and 3) to direct us to subdue every instinct to God’s will.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Ps 46:10 ASV)

But the Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him. (Hab 2:20 CEB)

Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. (Zech 2:13 ESV)

Being still, silent, and at peace will bring about a great ability to focus upon the Lord. It’s a good time for prayer and thanksgiving, as well as for a reverential form of worship. Obviously, there’s definitely a time for joyful, loud, expressive worship, too. But when the Holy Spirit leads us into a still and tranquil time of prayer, we should be sensitive and responsive to that leading.

One form of “being still” is to step away from our busy lives in order to connect with God. This is a time to stay focused on God’s vision for our lives and to listen for His direction and guidance. The obvious follow-through is our obedience to what we hear the Lord saying to our hearts.

What is the purpose of stillness? Being still before the Lord brings us clarity. It draws us into the moment and gives us time to clear the clutter and clamor out of our minds and hearts. It helps us to hear God’s voice more accurately. Stilling our hearts before the Lord helps us to stop striving and to surrender our circumstances to the Lord. In whatever situation you find yourself today, take some time alone with the Lord.

The Helpful Holy Spirit

The Bible describes the Holy Spirit as ‘the Helper’ as well as a teacher in John 14:26 (NKJV). He truly is our helper, and we should praise God for this truth.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (Joh 14:26 NKJV)

The Holy Spirit will teach us all things and remind us of what we have learned from Him. For example, when we get riled by some inconsiderate driver in traffic, and call that person an unflattering name, the Holy Spirit will convict us to repent and to pray for that driver.

. . . because I know that your prayers and the help that comes from the Spirit of Christ Jesus will keep me safe. (Phil 1:19 CEV)

The help that comes from the Holy Spirit keeps us safe. Hallelujah!

Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Act 9:31 NIV)

The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom to have a respectful reverence for the Lord. He helps us to learn about the wonderful characteristics of the love of God, and to appreciate them.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Rom 8:9 NKJV)

Because the Holy Spirit dwells within us (1 Cor 3:16), we know that we are led by the Lord, especially in spiritual matters.

The Holy Spirit helps us to know how to pray, and will even give us the words to pray, if we will be sensitive to His guidance.

The unity of the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit forms the Godhead. The Godhead is united in purpose and implementation of God’s plan for mankind.

God’s plan for mankind is good and gives us a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)

The Holy Spirit gives us life and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. His work is to exalt Christ in our hearts. The Holy Spirit strengthens us and by grace, enables us to persevere in faith. Glory to God!

God Fulfills His Word: BELIEVE IT!

It’s essential for every follower of Jesus Christ to know without a doubt that God fulfills His Word. The Bible states this truth in many different ways, and in many different passages of Scripture. Let’s just look at a few.Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. (Josh 21:45 NKJV)Notice that the above Bible verse states, “ALL came to pass.” This is significant—don’t undervalue it.The Lord then said, “You are right, for I’m watching over my word until it is fulfilled.” (Jer 1:12 CEB)This Scripture describes God as “watching over His Word” to make sure that it occurs exactly as He said that it would. It gives us a picture of God not allowing anything to escape His notice or His attention. He is guaranteeing that His own Word comes to pass.The Lord has done what He determined; He has accomplished His word . . . (Lam 2:17a NASB)I like this Scripture in the New American Standard Bible. It is very clear and cannot be misunderstood! God accomplished His Word. End of story. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Lk 2:20 NIV, underscoring added)Note that everything that the shepherds heard and saw happened JUST AS THEY HAD BEEN TOLD! This fulfills another Bible verse:. . . in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began . . . (Tit 1:2 NKJV, emphasis added)We are simply called as BELIEVERS, to accept God’s Word as true, reliable, and trustworthy. The Bible clearly says that God cannot lie. Meditate upon this and stir up your faith, and your life, by radically believing God’s Word! God bless you.

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Tag: Bible