Realities of Heaven

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 Realities of Heaven

 

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Colossians 3:1

 

What are the realities of heaven?  It is the dwelling of God, Father Son, and Holy Spirit. No more death, disease, infirmity or pain. Peace, joy, and happiness are its foundation. Completeness, wholeness is the standard of life. Lack will not exist. Love received without impediment.  No enemy that can taunt, assail or kill. No conflict, war or discord. Worship and praise are unhindered or obstructed.  The fullness of God is ever-present. Jesus our Lord rules. Our eyes, ears, and minds opened and unfettered by the veil of sin. We will live in truth, free from the threat of sin. We will be cleansed from the stench of sin. We will be free.  Our minds will be opened, and we will understand the justice, love, and forgiveness of God. 

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It Is Written

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It Is Written

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
The temptation of Christ is documented in Matthew 4. In this story, we are told Jesus was tempted three times. To each temptation, Jesus answered with "it is written." Jesus the son of God the one through whom all things exist answers "it is written." Jesus was tried, hungry and physically depleted in what must have been a very vulnerable state.  In His physically depleted state, he still has the ability to understand how to deal with this most crucial of moments. He turns to the word of God and finds safety and power in it. Because He had studied it, He hid it in His heart, made it a priority in His life He was able at this great moment of weakness He to rely on His heart to answer the devil in a way in which there was no possible defeat.  
 
Are you there yet? When the temptations and challenges of life come your way are you prepared to answer "it is written?" What is not sufficiently emphasized in this story is that Jesus won. The devil left defeated.  He the devil was no match against the word of God "It is written."

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The Promised Land

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The Promised Land

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Joshua 1:1-2

The time has come, and the Israelites are about to take possession of this promise. The interesting thing about this promise is the word give. When you read the rest of the story, you'll see that Joshua leads the people of Israel in a war of conquest. They go in and invade and conquer the promise land. When God says "give" it does not mean that all you have to do is open your hand to receive. It does not mean that out of nowhere your desire will be fulfilled. It means that God will be there to provided you with what you need to accomplish what he has promised you. In order to receive what God wants to give you, you have to be fully vested in the pursuit. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan, they were fully vested in the acquisition of Gods promise.  They went in knowing that they were putting their lives on the line, literally not figuratively.  Has God promised you something? Have you received it? Was it without cost?  If it cost you nothing, it is not from God. God wants you to recognize Him in all you do. He shows Himself to us when we look back and see His hand weaved through the times in our lives when we were not sufficient or equal to the task. He is visible when we attain victory and recognize that it was by His working in our lives that we achieved victory.

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Fear The Lord

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Fear The Lord

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8

If you give God the honor, respect, and reverence, He is entitled to, and you separate yourself from evil, you will bless yourself. This is not something that God needs to do for us. It is something we can for ourselves. Do not over complicate it. Allow God His rightful place in your life, and you will be blessed. If God is in His rightful place, evil will not be a part of your life. God and evil cannot coexist. 

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All These Things

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All These Things

³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:30-33  (ESV) 

I need to seek after the kingdom God and His righteousness. We need to take this statement personally. We want so much; we have been educated to think we can bring what we want into existence by our works. So many achievers, after having achieved their dreams are left wanting. We are better off, seeking after the kingdom of God and His righteousness than our dreams. As we walk into Gods kingdom and His righteousness, we are given the desires of our hearts. It is and always will be God First.

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Commit

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Commit

Commit your work to the Lord,

   and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3

"Commit your work to the Lord," doesn't mean to inform God of your plans, so that He can bless them. It does not refer to a partnership between you and God. It means to take all of your plans in every area of your life and give them to God. It means giving all of your hopes, dreams, ambitions, worries, and problems, your very life to Him. Because He is greater and He can bring to fruition all good things in your life. 

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It Is Not a Sunday Thing

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It Is Not a Sunday Thing

11 Seek the Lord and his strength;

   seek his presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11 (ESV)

What would it be like if we were in constant communion with God? Do you realize God is alive? Every living thing interacts with its environment when you’re in the presence of God His presence will interact with you. It can’t be helped. 

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Reaping

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Reaping

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

Verse nine is quoted often in an attempt to encourage us in our times of troubles. It is about doing good, pressing on until you receive the victory of good, hard, and  persistent work. In verse ten is the reason for the blessing of persistence; it is so we can be a blessing to others. We have completed deleted the end of verse ten. We read “do good to everyone” and the verse ends. We Christians need to look at the end of verse ten and amplify as much as possible. We are to especially bless those of the family of God. What would happen to the church, to the family of God if we would take every opportunity to help every brother or sister with the blessing we have received. I am specifically not speaking about money. I am talking about caring and, sharing the wisdom God has given you. Money follows wisdom. Wisdom does not follow money.

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In Jesus Name

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In Jesus Name

15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

The power of Jesus is reserved for those who know Jesus. If you try to appropriate the power of Christ without the knowledge of Christ, it will cause to you be worse off than when you began. Do you know Him?

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Deliverance

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Deliverance

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:3-5

Christ died for us, and it is he that will deliver us from this present evil age. By the will of the everlasting Father. We need to be ever aware, that it is Jesus working in us that enables us to overcome any situation. He is the impetus, power and the way of deliverance and there is no other.

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Know Your God

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Know Your God

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
   nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
   and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
   and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
   I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
   he makes my feet like the deer's;
   he makes me tread on my high places.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

If you find yourself in need with no prospects, the only way you can “take joy in the God of my salvation”  is if you know your God. If you don't know your God, you will be crushed by the persistent challenges of life.

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Conqueror of the Impossible

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Conqueror of the Impossible

For nothing will be impossible with God.”Luke 1:37 (ESV)

God has given us all we need to accomplish the purpose he created us for. He gives faith, wisdom resources, intelligence, counsel, health, and vision. He has from before time predestined us to win, and after all of that, he is at the end of our rope with an extended hand saying come let me help you.  My God is the conqueror of the impossible.

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Overcoming

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Overcoming

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? John 5:4-5

You just can’t win without Him.

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Taste and See

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Taste and See

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

Odd phrasing, but the blessing of God are sweet. If you have ever been blessed by God, you can taste the sweetness of His victory. God really is good in all situations. Even the ones we don’t understand. We are blessed if we take refuge (shelter, protection, safety, security, asylum, sanctuary) in Him.

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