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!

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!

We Must Bear Fruit to the Father’s Glory

How does a Christian bear fruit? If, as believers, we pursue goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, we will be fruitful no matter where we are called.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (Joh 15:8 NIV)

I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God. (Phil 1:11 CEB)

I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (Joh 15:5 ISV)

When we bear fruit, we bring glory to God the Father, and we prove ourselves to be the Lord’s followers. The key to fruitfulness is abiding in Christ and being aware, moment by moment, of His presence and His love at work in our lives.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23) Every GOOD tree bears GOOD fruit. (Mt 7:17) Each and every believer is a good tree, and every believer has been given the fruit of the Spirit.

The Lord tells us clearly in John 15:5:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We must abide in Christ always, because without Him, we are powerless and can accomplish nothing. But with Him, nothing is impossible! Hallelujah!

God Doesn’t Remember Our Sins

Isn’t this wonderful to consider that God does not remember our sins, nor does He ever use them against us. Glory to God most high!

Here are some Scriptures to review:

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Ps 103:12 NIV)

I, I am the one who wipes out your rebellious behavior for my sake. I won’t remember your sin. (Isa 43:25 CEB)

In the above passage, the Lord assures us that He has wiped away what was written against us, and the reason is because Jesus Christ has paid the debt. And He also says that He will not remember our sins which means that He will never punish us for them.

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. (Mic 7:18 ESV)

Rather than remembering our sins, the Lord delights in His steadfast love for each and every one of us! God says that He WON’T remember our sin; it is an intentional decision on His part. And He does this for His own plans and purposes, not because of anything that man can or ever will do.

We serve a powerful, merciful and loving Savior and Redeemer. Let us rejoice in His love!

A Christian’s Self-Worth and Love for Self

As followers of Jesus Christ, how important is it for Christians to love themselves and to have a realization of self-worth? Every person needs to realize their own value and importance. It’s central for us, as believers, to view ourselves in the light of the Word of God and in view of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures teach us in various ways that we are Individually valuable to God, and that we are precious in His sight.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well”. (Ps 139:13-14)

Know this: every human being is fearfully and wonderfully made. God’s works are wonderful, and we (as God’s creation) are a wonderful work of the Lord’s. Glory to God!

“Then God said, “Let Us [Father, Son, Holy Spirit] make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” So, God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen 1:26-27 AMP)

The fact is that God created us in His own image. Wow! Another interesting truth is that God has given us authority over the earth and over every living thing on it! That’s a huge indication of God’s love for each individual—the only beings made in the image of God. We are valued by the living God, and we are very important to Him.

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— (1 Pet 2:4 NIV)

Since we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, the Bible tells us that we are CHOSEN by God and PRECIOUS to Him.

“Chosen” means selected, preferred, and desired. “Precious” means valued, greatly loved, treasured, and cherished. Doesn’t that paint a portrait of someone who is esteemed and priceless to God? Since this is so, we should love ourselves and walk in the dignity and majesty bestowed upon us by God’s evaluation of us.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:10)

Each and every believer is a Masterpiece by the work of the Master—Jesus Christ! See yourself as the glorious masterpiece that you are.

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Cor 6:20)

Because we are so valued by the Lord, an astronomical price was paid to purchase our redemption. By dying on the cross, being buried, and rising again—all according to the Scripture (1 Cor. 15:3-4)—the Lord Jesus Christ paid for our redemption. Hallelujah!

You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. (SOS 4:7)

The Lord declares that His children are beautiful. Praise God!

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. (Joh 10:28-30)

The best news of all is that no one has the power to snatch us out of the hand of the Lord, nor can anyone snatch us out of the hand of our Father God! Glory to God most High!

For all of the above reasons, and many, many more, every believer should have a good sense of self-worth and self-value. Therefore, we walk in humility and in obedience to the Lord and in service to our fellow human beings.

If you would like to study additional Scriptures to investigate and realize your value to God, I recommend these passages: Isaiah 41:10; Joshua 1:5, 9; Psalm 28:7; 63:1-8; Jeremiah 17:7; Lamentations 3:22-23; Luke 12:7; 2 Corinthians 190:12; Hebrews 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 Peter 3:3-4. God bless you.

All Are Made Alive in Christ

God has made believers alive together with Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) . . . (Eph 2:4-5 NASB)

For as in Adam all die, so also in the Messiah will all be made alive. (1 Cor 15:22 ISV)

Consequently, just as condemnation for all people came through one transgression, so too through the one righteous act came righteousness leading to life for all people. ¹⁹For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be constituted righteous. ²⁰Now the law came inso that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, ²¹so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5:18-21 NET)

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Cor 15:45-49 NIV)

Before a person becomes born-again, they are dead in their evils and sins. Even when we were in that state, God loved us. Because He loved us, He gave us a Savior and Redeemer.

As believers in Christ, we identify with and are linked together with Christ in His resurrection. Therefore, His life becomes our life. Not only that, but the Lord gives us a brand-new type of life—eternal life. (Rom 6:23) Eternal life is our present possession! That is almost too much for us to comprehend.

This is a precious and priceless gift, and we have reason to rejoice and thank the Lord!

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.

A Permanent Covenant

A covenant is a relationship between two parties who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach their common goal.

We are currently living in “New Covenant” times. This covenant defines a new relationship between God and man mediated by Jesus Christ and based upon a sincere declaration that one believes in Jesus Christ as Lord, God, and Savior.

Today, we are meditating upon this covenant that believers have with the Lord.

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isa 54:10 NIV)

Neither God’s love—nor His covenant of peace—will be shaken or upset. Glory to God!

Pay attention to me, come to me; and listen, so that you may live; then I’ll make an everlasting covenant with you, as promised by my faithful, sure love for David. (Isa 55:3 ISV)

As our title today tells us, we have an everlasting covenant with the Lord. It will not end.

I will not break my agreement nor change what I have said. (Ps 89:34 NCV)

God is stating clearly that He will never break His Word or change His promises to us. We can rely upon His stability and His dependability. Thus, our faith may rest upon a flawless foundation. Hallelujah!

Complete the Race, Receive the Crown

We all understand that in order to receive the crown (reward, wreath), we must complete the race as a winner. A winner can also be called a conqueror, a victor, or an overcomer. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (1 Cor 9:25 ESV)We are called by the Lord to complete the “race of life” as a conqueror who will receive an eternal reward. One factor that is required, even as it is required of athletes, is self-control in all things. But we are able. Let’s remember that Romans 8:37 tells us: Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.We are “more than conquerors” because the true Conqueror, Jesus Christ, has shared His victory with each one of us through the gift of salvation.Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Tim 2:5 NIV)Obviously, every race has rules that must be obeyed. In order to receive the victor’s crown spoken about in the Bible, we must obey the Word of God. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tim 6:12 NKJV)The battle in which we must engage is the battle for our very own souls, and the only way to win this battle is by FAITH. This is emphatically taught in Scripture:For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 Joh 5:4 NKJV)Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 Joh 5:5 NASB)But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57 NIV)

If we stay on the path of obedience to God and to His Word, we shall surely win the race and receive the crown! Glory to God most High!

Defend the Helpless; Rescue the Poor & Needy

As servants of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we’re called to defend the helpless; rescue the poor and needy; and hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. The Bible records this clearly.

Let us consider these passages:

Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, for the rights of all the unfortunate. (Pro 31:8 NASB)

The Lord wants us to speak and fight for those who cannot speak for themselves—for the poor, the oppressed, and the afflicted.

Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless. Vindicate the oppressed and suffering. ⁴Rescue the poor and needy. Deliver them from the power of the wicked. (Ps 82:3-4 NET)

This passage warns us to defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless; to exonerate the oppressed and suffering. The Lord wants us to rescue the poor and the needy, and to deliver them from the power of evil people.

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? (Pro 24:11-12 NIV)

In this passage from the Bible in Proverbs 24, someone claims that “they did not know this,” but God knows the contents of our hearts and minds. We can never fool Him when we stand before Him on the day of judgement.

Let us ask the Lord for His grace to enable us to obey His will in our lives. We must trust the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into the conflicts in which He wishes us to become involved. Depending upon our calling in life, this will be different for every individual. God bless you as you serve Him today!

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